We're now in a crisis of overproduction and choking from excess. Somebody counted 437 different mp3 players. And 20,000 brands of beer ... do we really need 437 mp3 players and 20,000 brands of beer? Michael Masterson's ETR reported that 95% of books out there sell fewer than 100 copies. I had no idea.

What does this mean to the small-business owner:

The fundamental reality is that you are marketing in a world of obscene excess to a spoiled consumer bombarded by 3,000 sales messages a day.

This is your new baseline:

1. Assume that they don’t need it.
2. Assume they don’t even want it.
3. Assume they have 100 other MoneyHoles.
4. Assume they don’t like your Sales&Marketing.
5. Assume they don't like Salesmen with white shoes.
6. Assume they go for a pee during TV commercials.
7. Assume they spend a fleeting second on newspaper ads.
8. Assume they don’t Trust you.
9. Assume they don’t even Like you.
10. Assume they may not even have the money for it.
11. Assume that—because of boredom and apathy of excess—it may take 9 kisses to turn a frog into a prince, and 2 out of 3 attempts will miss the mark.
12. Assume, that in small business, marketing is everything you do from the energy in your voice inflections on telephone to how your staff says "good morning" to coffee stains on your showroom furniture. Everything that, in one way or another, affects what your customer thinks of you.

Excellence in marketing is never having to say "buy it".