Written as parts of the world burn because Russia – or more specifically Putin – has decided to destabilize the world. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the people of the Ukraine.
This may be pure politics or greed or stupidity or any combination of the above and more, but the false narrative that he is feeding the world, so we can only assume he believes it, is setting the entire world up for a potentially devastating near term future.
It is not impossible that putin has calculated all the potential costs and fallout of his actions, and with a fairly good reading of the incompetence of other world (so called) leaders, he knows not one country is going to do a damn thing to stop him.
That is all well and good for a small man in a stone house, but people, possibly many, are going to die, with many more losing all freedoms, as dictators are known to remove freedoms in order to entrench their own agenda.
What is difficult for the writer to comprehend is that while a corner of the world burns, with the tsunami of fallout already set in motion, even though it may take days, weeks or months for the wave to hit the South African shores, life in South Africa continues as normal.
Normal in South Africa means that the incompetent, (unless we are talking about being thieves, as that they are very good at) anc led government will continue to impose pathetic legislation that will help further destroy the South African economy.
The South African economy where unemployment is already at a dangerous level because it could lead to revolution.
Apartment from ranting about the world gone mad, this blog is to try and figure where the world is moving and what possible impact the current political play will pose on all small businesses around the world, and specifically in South Africa.
From the perspective of the writer based in South Africa the new normal moving forward will be much of the same as it has been in the past few years with the anticipated rise in fuel prices making the poor poorer and eroding the already shrinking middle class.
Running a business with unprecedented high fuel prices as well as way above (official) inflation increases in electricity and other utility costs – mainly so the thieving anc can continue to steal and pay their comrades unrealistically high fees for doing nothing to help the burning country.
This leaves the man on the street pretty much on his own, to do what he can to survive and avoid the storm that is all around.
As a small business one thing you can do is advertise. Yes, I know, this tends to be the last thing that you feel you can afford, as all funds get burned through long before advertising comes to mind. This is not something limited to small businesses. Signage (or the signage element of advertising) is often the last, post budget busting spend that marketers think about. But be that as it may, advertising is the one thing smaller businesses can do in order to increase their business – turnover and profits – and get seen.
We are fortunate to live in a time where marketing can be done at a relatively low cost if one is prepared to invest the TIME. While advertising on paid media – Google Ads or Facebook paid ads as an example) may give faster returns – as in more people will see you faster, but at a cost per click or something similar, free advertising on Google or Facebook is something I am certain our small business predecessors would have longed to have.
Signage is also a great way to make small business’s visible. While signs can be costly up front, they tend to last a LONG time and once up, seldom need any maintenance in order to keep being effective.
Yes, being a sign maker I am biased, however in reality if one looks at physical businesses, while the type, style and complexity of business (especially retail) signs has changed substantially over the last decade or three, signs still tend to do what they are created to do – see one’s business, create awareness and get feet through the door.
If you have a physical business and want to thrive and grow, especially in these tough economic times, contact SignForce to see if and how we can assist, both with the physical signs and with financing options.
Contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or call +27 (0)11 440 7525 or WhatsApp +27 90)82 558 6413
Find out more about SignForce by visiting our website at http://www.signforce.co.za
