Not long ago, while driving down a frequently traveled road, I noticed a huge “Going Out of Business” sign near a retail establishment. Intrigued, I pulled into the lot to find parking difficult: the lot was full of cars.

Upon entering the store, I experienced complete chaos. The frenzied consumers clambered to get seemingly great deals (not really great) on premium products. The retail staff was overwhelmed as consumers raved about the product selection and quality.

I waited about 15 minutes and asked to speak with the owner/manager. I asked, “How long have you been open?” He responded, “About 15 months.” I paused in bewilderment. He then stated, “We have great products. We just couldn’t get people to come in the door.” I wished him luck and exited the store.

I had driven past this establishment several times every week. I never noticed this establishment – until the monstrous sign was constructed. For some reason, I don’t think I was alone in this realization.

What went wrong? Management marketed the closing – not the opening. This reminds me of an old saying – the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago; the second best time to plant a tree is today.

Transforming marketing requires positioning, planning, persistence – and patience. It is true; a planted tree does not grow overnight. An unplanted just does not grow.