Jan 28, 2023
Canmore, CANADA

“Wanna go for a walk?” (Loud barking commences) “Ok – let’s go then.”

(Can’t read the full email – click here for the online version.)

The weather this past month has been warmer than usual and the past week – spring-like. Since I have a flexible work schedule, I like to head out and walk the many trails near our house, mid-day. This ensures I walk in the sun – otherwise it is below the surrounding mountains and the temperature drops significantly.

These walks are looked forward to by our dog, Skoki. She’s a 25 lb. mutt; part German shepherd, part heeler and who knows what else. From a distance she looks like a large fox, so we typically have a bright kerchief on her so as not to spook other walkers.

Like I was saying – the weather – especially this past week, has been great walking weather. The sun felt warm on the face. Squirrels were out and about. Birds flittering. 

But being January still – one knows that it can’t last. It’s an illusion. A temporary reprieve, designed to make one throw caution to the wind. 

The calm before the storm.

Certainly, the weather forecasters were warning of a pending “Polar Vortex” for the weekend. Sub-zero (Fahrenheit) temperatures with strong winds from the north.

Such a storm did descend upon the plains of Alberta yesterday. The main highway between Calgary and Edmonton – this provinces two largest cities – was at a standstill or one-lane traffic due to poor visibility and accidents.

Two stories here for you, with lessons for business.

One is the storm that is coming, if it hasn’t hit you yet.

Here are some facts from Heritage.com:

New data released Thursday showed prices have risen 13.7% since President Biden took office, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI). The overall price level declined 0.1% last month but increased 6.5% in 2022, a year which saw four-decade-high inflation. Even as the increase in the CPI slows, many consumer staples remain highly elevated compared to the start of the Biden administration: eggs are up 189.9%, ground beef 21.1%, gasoline 44.3%, electricity 21.3%, transportation services 19.5%, and housing 11.8%. 

EJ Antoni, research fellow in regional economics with The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis, released the following statement Thursday on the latest data:  

“Biden’s presidency has been marked by excessive spending, borrowing, and printing of money by the federal government. The result has been an appalling rise in inflation to levels not seen in 40 years. 

“If you are wondering where the government got the trillions of dollars in extra spending over the last two years, they are taking it out of your hide right now through the hidden tax of inflation. Every time you put gas in your tank or groceries in your back seat, you are paying Biden’s inflation tax. 

“Prices have risen so much faster than wages that the average family has lost $6,000 in purchasing power. As the Federal Reserve belatedly raises interest rates to fight the very inflation it helped cause, interest rates are rising fast, increasing borrowing costs by $1,400. Combined with falling real wages, the average family has effectively lost $7,400 in annual income since Biden took office.” 

I don’t have Canada’s figures, but anecdotally, likely the same or worse. 

I’ve written about this already in past articles. The average consumer has less disposable income than before and as a result – will be spending less in the foreseeable future. If the average consumer is your target market – then you need to ensure you are the one and only option for them and 2) you have a strategy that ensures you have excellent profit margins, with pricing increases planned.

The other lesson follows last week’s missive on mistakes businesses make with their advertising and promotions.

When I was younger, weather forecasters would talk about an upcoming “cold front”, when referring to colder temperatures on the horizon. 

But not anymore. Now such an event is called a  “Polar Vortex”! Or an extreme “Arctic Front”. 

Forecasters in the US would often call this air flow a “Canadian Front” but even they, now, seem to prefer the “Vortex” label.

Why?

Good headlines pull in readers. The more readers they get, the more they can charge the advertisers on their sites.

Look at any newspaper or news site you read. Notice both the large type face and sensationalism of the headlines. 

A good headline can make or break your ad. Spend a lot of time on it. If you don’t “Interrupt” your audience, you might as well not submit an ad at all. That’s how important it is. 

Here’s a free resource to help you evaluate your promotions. 

Until next week, 

Stay healthy and focus on profit! 

 - Hugh 
The “Profit Accelerator” Expert

P.S. If you own or operate a business that uses appointments to drive sales, and you could use more, this month, we’ve developed a new system where we can get you all the appointments you want, or you don’t pay! Check it out here. 

★ BECOME A HIGHLY PAID BUSINESS COACH WITH #1 COACHING PLATFORM ★
I am looking for individuals to help handle the exploding global demand for business
coaching services. I’m willing to train [at my expense] the right individual with a
passion for wanting to help small business owners become successful.
NO travel - work from home. $225,000 first year income. If you or someone you
know is interested, click here and an 8 minute video will explain it all.