Port Angeles Vision

Let’s face it–we’re in a serious economic depression for all of us who own businesses in Port Angeles.  Imagine a scenario in which you have:

1. A national real estate crash (let’s not sugar coat this thing), and
2. A national crisis of epic proportions for financial institutions, and
3. A national economy that has been taking major hits from all sides, and
4. An International economic crisis not seen since whenever, and
5. A little town called Port Angeles, which is dependent upon the outside world for its economic health.

And what you get is the perfect storm for a pending disaster for local businesses.  Hello, is anyone else out there struggling to maintain a business?  The better question is probably, “Is anyone not struggling?”

I am certain that we have not come close to hitting the bottom yet.  So what are you doing to survive these slow winter months?  This is not a rhetorical question.  Let’s hear from Port Angeles business owners.  What are you doing and what do you think would make sense for all business owners to survive until next spring?  I don’t think there are that many big trade secrets here.  Sharing information and ideas can be very helpful for everyone.

I’ll share a couple of thoughts.  These next 18 months will not be a time to waste advertising dollars.  That may the most obvious thing I could write here, but believe it or not many Port Angeles businesses are still wasting a lot of precious money right now on advertising that is both expensive and ineffective.  The bleeding must be stopped or one could be looking at bankruptcy next year.  Is this a time to crawl into a cave and stop advertising?  Absolutely not!  But there is such a thing as effective advertising and ineffective advertising.  Times have changed over the past 30 years, yet many businesses still operate under a 20 or 30 year old business model.  What used to work to reach customers is no longer as effective, and there are new techniques and tools to reach customers.

In my opinion, those businesses that do not “get it” will soon be out of business or completely revamping their business.  That’s what I think.  Of course, I could be wrong (as comedian Dennis Miller likes to say at the end of one of his rants).