Last year about this time we were in mourning as we stared at our beautiful plum tree...

Only 2 or 3 deep maroon plums dangled from its boughs.

The rest had been taken out by a late spring frost. Those thousands of promising little orbs that we'd celebrated in May simply blackened and fell off.

Our neighbor, who makes a living off of his orchard, noted this unseasonable chill was a tough blow to his fruit business.

And he wasn't the only one hit by the late chill. Our friend, Wendy, with whom we marketing behavioral health services in raising pigs told us she had lost a hundred or so chicks to the late drop in temperature.

And this was on top of losing almost a full litter of piglets when the mother pig rolled over on them as they snuggled close. Wendy confessed she had literally broken down in tears at this event.

However, as bad as each of these small tragedies were. Each of us had backup plans that compensated a bit. Our friend with the orchard had a stellar peach crop (the blossoms came a bit later).

Wendy had a good herd of beef cattle growing fat on her pasture.

And while the plums didn't come through, we had some nice strawberries and our pear tree stunned us with its heavy load.

Farming teaches you one thing in stark terms - diversify or fall prey to nature's whims.

Marketing isn't much different...

In marketing, too, you'll fare better if you don't keep all your eggs in one basket. (Surely a bit of wisdom coined by some farmer who didn't see the rock in his path!)

Over the past few months I've written magalog copy, website pages, SEO copy, social media copy, autoresponders, sales letters and video scripts.