We all have to do more with less.

Everywhere we go, news about the economy is inescapable. Even harder to deal with are the people we love (and some people we don't quite love) who think they are alone in this. No man is an island, from Wall Street to Main Street, however you want to say it -- this touches us all.

At Stein, we are embracing it as an opportunity to closely examine where we allocate funds and why. In sales in particular, the wine and dine tactic is becoming increasingly frowned upon. And rightly so. How can our clients believe us when we say that I understand your institution and the budget cuts you're facing when I carelessly spend my company's money? So now more than ever, we thoughtfully and purposefully plan travel. I've just returned from such a trip across the great (home) state of Pennsylvania.

I was going to spend the weekend in Pittsburgh with family only four days before I needed to be in Delaware with our new client, Wesley College New Castle. Why fly back and forth to Atlanta when I could spend that time meeting with other schools between Pittsburgh and DE? 770 miles in a Chevy-Impala-without-an-ice-scraper later, I had done a LOT of introducing myself and learning about the marketing efforts these various colleges and independent schools were making.

It's clear even before I started making these visits that everyone is worried about this next class. Admission folks are torn between approaching the problem and trying to be cost-effective or throwing a lot of money at it in hopes of fixing it. There are no easy answers either, but rest assured that you'll be working with people who understand your predicament and who are thinking creatively to maximize their own resources.

Important to note that resources are not just fiscal. Time is more valuable, something I talked about a lot with schools regarding Web 2.0 which tends to be an inexpensive initiative, but demanding on time. Let's review not just where we allocate funds, but what activities consume our energy at work. Hmm...I may have to take my own advice and rethink this blog...