As the owner of a creative services boutique - I have realized that at least 9 out of 10 prospects/clients have suffered from one or all of the following (very detrimental) symptoms of trying to grow their businesses:

Trouble defining their "BIG PICTURE"

Little to no understanding of "evolution focus"

Overwhelming feelings of "being stuck", "spinning wheels", "not knowing what to do next"

Not enough information about options, alternatives and solutions to common strategies

Not enough knowledge or support to ask the right questions when researching opportunities

Challenges in differentiating between "good advice" and "bad advice"

Difficulty bouncing back from ill advised decisions

Exhausting unnecessary dollar amounts for otherwise less expensive projects

Not enough resources to avoid future mistakes

Unrealistic expectations about each unique component of the marketing mix and how enlisting one does NOT guarantee another.

Somehow along the way the corporate mentality of "delegate everything" has convoluted the fact that small-mid sized businesses don't always have the resources to do this. Owners who elect to "do everything", do so under the pretense that it will only be temporary and that as soon as money comes in they will contract the right people. The underlying trouble here is that those who choose to do it all - find themselves spending more time and money researching information that is readily available in the right places; the revenues they need to hire someone - get harder and harder to generate and somehow mover further and further away from them.

Prevention marketing can provide a quick resolve. Albeit a "new concept" by definition - Prevention Marketing allows business owners to consult with Marketing Experts who have "been there & done that" time and time again. These Marketers have made the mistakes that they advise others not to or they have helped countless clients bounce back from their mistakes (and learn just the same). They are also very connected to those who work in the trenches (if they don't do it themselves) and they do regular research on new and innovative solutions to age old and up-coming marketing strategies.

Prevention Marketing can set business owners up with all of the right information BEFORE decision and implementation begins; in turn avoiding, reducing or in many cases eliminating the effects of above growth symptoms.

Keep your eyes and ears open for a Prevention Marketer in your region; they could save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars on marketing your business!

About the Author: Cijaye DePradine is the Principal Preventive Marketing Strategist for Cijaye Creative (http://www.cijayecreative.com) and a variety of business partners throughout Canada. She is also the author of PROJECT jumpSTART (http://www.jumpstartexperience.com)- A planning template for YOUR marketing SUCCESS. She has helped numerous businesses save thousands of dollars in marketing while also contributing to their gains and acquisitions in the areas of Internet marketing and publicity.