My world is full of people who are pushing ahead and falling behind. The economy has really begun to sort them out. One group is unemployed and waiting for something to come their way, and one group is trying new things, starting businesses and improving their corporate strategies.

What an opportunity! Not only can you take the steps necessary to be one of those people who pushes ahead, you can more easily see who you should align yourself with, those people who are smarter, more diligent, more ambitious than the rest.

The trick? Get strategic.

It’s time to really analyze what you do and why you do it that way. Chances are, you’ve been getting off easy for the past few years with some mediocre business operations/goals. It was okay when your customers had plenty of money to spend, but now you need to offer them something that will really improve their lives and effectively communicate that to them. And, if it turns out that nobody needs your product/service anymore, look into creating your own customers.

Creating customers is key right now, and chances are, you don’t have the power to do this on your own, so form an alliance, and get your competitors or other similar businesses on board. Think about what it will take to create more surfers, photographers or real estate agents. Really look to the root of the solution. And, consider nonprofits that have a similar mission and partner up.

I am rooting for you! You can do this. What do you have to lose?

Who benefits?

The company – the company will have increased sales.

The customers – they need to feel confident about their purchases.

The community – more customers = more profit = higher employment rates

I attended one of the breakfast sessions at the NAMM show this year, and visited with a young man who had just opened his own music store, High Desert Music. He lives in a small town in Oregon, and there are barely enough musicians to keep him in business.

High Desert Music

More than anything else, this man needs to focus on creating musicians so that he will have customers. Not only will he have a thriving music store, he will be strengthening his community.

(Visit the Guitar Center Music Foundation’s website for more information about the benefits of making music.)

My first piece of advice for this gentleman was to form an alliance with all of the music stores and teachers in his area so that all of them can work together to create solutions. His market is not even close to saturation, so by working together, they will create enough customers for all of the local stores to share.

Then, it’s up to them how to create the customers. It needs to be a decision based on their own assets and skills. It could be that they need to better communicate the benefits of making music to their communities. It could also be that they just need to encourage more musicians to teach music. I also suggested that their schools work with Guitars in the Classroom because it greatly increases the number of guitarists in a community. But, however they choose to create musicians, it must be done for them to continue.

Who benefits?

The company – The company will not only gain customers, which will increase sales, they will gain support from the community and other local stores.

The other local stores – Other local stores will also gain new customers.

The community – The community will benefit from having more musicians. Music programs keep children off the streets, improve kids’ test scores, help keep the elderly active and healthy and generally keep a society safer over all.

The music industry – The music industry will also benefit from increased sales of musical instruments, in this particular scenario. The manufacturers need stores to create customers if they, too, are going to stay in business.