Opportunity Knocks.

Today's Marketing Cookie is about the changing tides of opportunity.

When it rains it pours, and when it doesn't, it won't. There is a fickle phenomenon in business that I've encountered many times during my career, and I find it quite difficult to explain. For some reason, when your company really needs sales the most, there isn't much to find. Then, at a time when you have more business than you can handle, new customers come to you in droves.

I can't explain why this happens, but I can say there's something really attractive about a company or person who doesn't need or want any new opportunities. If a company isn't too eager to win, sometimes that's precisely why they are selected. At the same time, someone who really needs a job won't find one because they need it too much. A company that desperately needs to make a sale will be overlooked because they want it too much.

It is important to prepare for the downtimes and be ready to handle the uptimes because they will often show up unannounced. Yes, they always come over when you weren't expecting them. If you're currently trying to mount a comeback, give your confidence a boost and talk about the value you can bring to the table. If you're currently at the top of your game, make sure you are well-staffed and ready to handle the wave of success. Wherever you are in the spectrum, just remember what today's fortune says, "Opportunity always knocks at the least opportune moment."