Jim Connolly Marketing

  • Home
  • About
    • About Jim Connolly
    • Jim’s small business marketing newsletter
    • Top Marketing Tips for 2026
    • Privacy Policy
    • How I use cookies
    • Contact
    • Disclosure
  • Let’s Grow Your Business

Are you sounding your horn or trying to help?

Updated June 2015

By Jim Connolly | May 13, 2010

I remember seeing a car that had broken down in heavy traffic, on Times Square, in Manhattan.

The driver was frantically trying to restart it, whilst the man in the car behind kept sounding his horn.

The harder the driver tried to restart her car, the noisier the guy behind became.  Suddenly, the driver of the broken down car got out, went up to the noisy guy behind and made a suggestion:

“Tell you what – How about you try getting my car started, whilst I sit in your car and make noise like a jerk for you?”

In a situation like the one above, people fall into 1 of 3 groups.

  1. Those who sound their horn and make things worse.
  2. Those who notice there’s a problem, but do nothing.
  3. Those who notice there’s a problem, then look for a way to help or contribute.

That first group is (thankfully ) fairly small.

The second group is by far the largest.

The third group is rare.  This is also where the gold is.

The world loves and rewards problem solvers.  The marketplace does too, which is why we always need to be focusing on contribution.  More than this, we need to proactively increase our problem solving skills; because the bigger the problems we can solve, the greater the marketplace will value us.

Look at the products or services you provide as answers to the marketplaces problems.  Now, what can you add to your current offering, which will allow you to be of even greater help?

What problem does your service or product solve for people?  Me? I help small and medium sized businesses make more money and attract the kind of clients or customers they have always dreamed of working with.

IMPORTANT: If you want to make more sales, boost your profits and grow an amazing business, this will help you!

Creative Marketing Tips

Get my best ideas delivered direct to your inbox. Just add your email below.

You can unsubscribe at any time. I respect your privacy.

Jim Connolly

Hi! I'm Jim Connolly and I use creative marketing to help small business owners increase sales, boost profits and build amazing businesses. Read more here.

Featured by

marketing advice, marketing help

Categories

  • AI (8)
  • Blogging (407)
  • Business development (495)
  • Copywriting (307)
  • Creative Marketing (1,669)
  • Email marketing & mail shots (187)
  • Professional development (546)
  • Social media marketing (358)

Hosting provider

20i hosting

Search

Recent posts

  • Keeping it real September 10, 2026
  • Lessons from highly successful business owners September 2, 2026
  • Sign your work. Grow your business August 17, 2026
  • Get creative: Let others market your business for free! August 7, 2026
  • Traditional marketing is dead July 27, 2026
  • The stupid game July 13, 2026
  • Hey! Not so fast! July 6, 2026
  • How to get your fees right June 23, 2026
  • A 3 shot espresso for your business June 17, 2026
  • Unproductive? You’re probably just bored June 12, 2026
  • Make AI grow your business June 8, 2026
  • It motivates people to take action, now June 4, 2026
  • Is your business one of the 50% that prospects now avoid? Probably! May 30, 2026
  • Give your best ideas away for free. Here’s why May 12, 2026
  • AI is wiping out your competitors. Now take their market share May 5, 2026
  • Powerful words for your marketing toolbox. Part 2 April 29, 2026
  • Your social media is sending an important message April 27, 2026
  • When was the last time? April 23, 2026
  • Jim, why are my sales numbers down? April 20, 2026
  • The secret sauce you were looking for, is here April 15, 2026

Creative Thinking?

My Creative Thinking Website
  • Home
  • About
  • Let’s Grow Your Business

Copyright © 2026 Jim Connolly