Would you say that teaching a child to "look before crossing the street," is a good rule of thumb? Not only has it saved the lives of billions of over-curious children, it is the first of many lessons which teach us to look a step ahead rather than staring at our own feet.

Marketing’s role in helping your business is to look for places where there is a gap between what people need and the types of products and services available. Marketers must experiment with creative solutions that address these needs. Good marketing will sketch out how a business can attract and retain customers, how it will compete against its competitors, and the budget needed to attain positive results. It should include market research, business location, the target customer group, competition, the product or service being sold, budget, and advertising and promotion.

Marketing does not create needs. Your clients have needs. It’s your job to recognize what needs are currently not being satisfied and craft a solution that will meet those needs. Marketing professionals recognize that there are plenty of day to day operations that must be completed, but your business will not survive past today if you do not start thinking about tomorrow. Believe it or not, we also understand the idea of a budget, but too often we meet clients that are just incapable of looking beyond the current picture.

President Wilson said, "Today's greatest labor-saving device is tomorrow.”