New projects? New business? Have you spent a good deal of your budget on research and development, setting up an infrastructure and employing staff?

Many a company have approached us with excellent R&D in hand, much money spent and not a dime left for marketing – the most common failing of any new project or business.

From the outset, put the marketing thoughts in process. Carefully consider your target market and how you plan to reach them. Be completely realistic. Don't rely on a handy sales projection forecast that, on paper, makes you feel secure.

Think about your sales tools, enquire about their costs. If you feel you can't afford them cut your budget somewhere else, and quickly. No matter how good a product or service is, it is of no use to anybody, least of all yourselves, if nobody knows that it's out there.

Shift the perception that you can't afford to market – you can't afford not to!