Gas gauge is on empty and it is that time again. Go to the Safeway gas station and do my twice-weekly ritual of pumping 80+ dollars into the tank. Why Safeway? Because their crack marketing team has convinced me, over time and through repetition, that using the Safeway Club Card to get that 3 cent per gallon discount is the cat’s meow. I mean, who couldn’t resist that kind of whopping savings?
But today was different. Very different than any other day at the Safeway gas pump.
1. Slide the club card into the pump (remove quickly)
2. Stare dazingly at the little screen that always tells me about by 3 cent discount, and wait for it to say I can use my debit card
3. [Here it comes…] Seconds later, the screen says I get a 60 cent per gallon discount! Per gallon!
Sweet!
Now, decision time comes.
Do I save a nice little chunk of money by filling up my road beast with Regular, like usual, or do I seize the opportunity to fill it up with Premium?
They (the auto mechanic people and the gasoline industry) tell me it does my truck good to use Premium. Burns more efficiently, leaves less gunk behind in my fuel injectors. Kind of the “does a body good” approach to vehicular health and a mindset of reinvestment in my vehicle’s productivity.
They (the bank account people, mostly) tell me that it’s better to have that extra cash – the savings from my 60 cent discount bonanza – to use for something else. Like, ice cream, maybe.
So which one of the “theys” do I listen to? Do I reinvest the money in something critical to my mode of living, or do I take the hit-and-run appraoch and go buy a bunch of ice cream to get the instant gratification. Tough choice, sometimes.
WHAT I KNOW AND YOU DO, TOO
But I know the more frequently I am able to pump Premium into my vehicle, the more likely I am to have good residual benefits; better gas milage, better performance and longer life of the vehicle. And I also know that one tank of Premium probably won’t make that much of a difference – it’s the consistent use of the good stuff that will yield good results.
Discipline and smart businesses sense tell me to reinvest. Just like making the decision to invest in my business’ marketing and its online presence. Just like investing in that vehicle that is critical to my mode of living. If we consider our business to be directly related to our mode of living, then I think the writing is on the wall.
INVEST AND REINVEST IN YOUR WEBSITE
Invest in your website, your social media activities and your overall SEO.
Are you unexpectedly saving money in some other aspect of your business or have you received profits that weren’t anticipated? Think smartly about using that money to build, redesign or otherwise improve your online presence. Build your business’ online credibility through a more professional appearance or wider advertising or more engaging social media play.
The more frequently you are able to pump Premium into your website, the more likley you are to have good residual benefits for your business. Reinvest.
SIMPLE EXAMPLES
A friend and fellow businessman, Rob Campbell at Cartoon Thunder, operates on a maxim of reinvesting 60% of his revenue into his own advertising campaigns. A smart way to keep the engine running.
A client of mine realizes signifigant website traffic and increased conversions through their investment in PPC campaigns through Google AdWords.
Another one uses Facebook Ads to advertise their business and target specific demographics for their service.
One uses a qualified blog writer to keep fresh, quality content pumped into their website. They don’t have the time to do it themselves, so they use the services of SafeHouse Web to help keep their business blogging in the Top-Notch category.
APPLICABLE AXIOMS
Spend money to make money.
Bet big to win big.
THE BOTTOM LINE
What would you do with your 60 cents?
