You need to distinguish between sales and marketing. Sales are the constant closing of deals or supply of products. Marketing is the process of generating constant exposure. Advertising results in exposure and awareness about your business and products. By being exposed on a regular basis, the prospective buyer / client will turn to you when in need of your product or service.

Turn on the news, read a paper or eavesdrop at the local coffee shop and one might think the world is coming to an end.  Bad news seems prevalent and negativity is around every corner. ET has gone home, Lolly was taken out and your neighbour has been high jacked. However, around the other corner, and hidden in quiet smiling groups of people, is the reality that things aren't as bad as it seems.  In fact, some people are staying quite positive and even prospering during these interesting times. 

Tune out the negativity.  The news, the newspaper and even online media sites thrive and prosper on negativity.  Eliminate them from your environment.  If you need to know the weather, check the weather on www.clickonit.co.za, leave the television news off.  If you need to know the sports scores, check the sport websites.  You can also have the information you're interested in emailed to you or subscribe to a reader and access only the information, the positive information, you need.

Surround yourself with positive people and information (like us!).  You really are a product of your environment and surrounding yourself with positive people will help you stay positive.  And when the occasional person slips and dives into negativity, clearly and confidently steer them back to the light.  Your disposition has an effect on others around you, stay positive and you'll help others stay positive too.

Remember what you do have.  Regardless of how bad things get, there is always something to be grateful for.  Even if it's as small as the pencil in your hand or the breath that fills your lungs.  We live in an amazing and miraculous world, when we remember that and all we have to be grateful for, the sky is the limit.

Set small goals.  Often we feel defeated because we didn't achieve our goal.  For example, if your goal was to make R50,000 in your new online business and you fell short of that goal you may feel defeated and sink into negativity.  However, if you set smaller goals, like to make that first R5,000, then you begin to create a pattern of success and those achievements, no matter how small, help you to stay and feel positive.

You've likely heard the phrase, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade?  Reframing a situation to look at the silver lining or to make lemonade helps you stay positive.  So the next time something potentially negative happens, pull out the positive aspects of the life lesson, challenge, or situation.  Reframe the situation to look at the bright side. 

Staying positive during negative times can be a challenge. However, every small step you take to stay positive builds upon itself.  Eventually, an eternally positive outlook will become a habit, a way of life, and significantly easier and much more fun than falling into despair.

Expose your business in the Clickonit Business Promotor - a Positive Business Promoter for positive people!

Here is an email I have received from a subscriber - some might have seen it and it might be out dated but it still makes me proud to be South African!

With the marketing of advertising space in the 2009 Clickonit Summer Holiday Guide some businesses complained that they wanted to advertise, but that they could not afford it due to financial pressure. Others however said that they do not want to advertise as they are too busy and do not want more business. Now this was strange because as you listen to the media, you do get the impression that everybody is suffering. Something is not right as the gold price increased phenomenally over the past few years, the rand is getting stronger, interest rates have been cut and the price of crude oil escalates gradually. Restaurants are still packed, houses are still being build, new motor vehicles are still being sold etc. Many did advertise and we thank them for participating in our campaign. Advertising has many aspects and reasons and there is a great difference between advertising and marketing. It is amazing to find the different perceptions in the market.

We have already left behind apartheid, the industrial age and corporations where the lives of individuals were controlled and preconceived ideas were followed. We were used to go to seminars, corporate training sessions, business meetings and church rallies where we were guided on how to live, do business, treat your partner etc. Unfortunately this whole idea collapsed and some people are so confused that they do know where they come from, but do not know where they are going.

Many (or most) business practices that were taught in the past are now archaic, but some businesses still follow suit as if there is no other way and merely survive. Clickonit just launched the Clickonit Business Network South Africa dates and venues of meetings will be relayed to members.