How to recession-proof your business with smart marketing
How to recession-proof your business with smart marketing
Do you have to change your operations to adapt to recession? Absolutely. The problem is, many business owners are making huge mistakes when it comes to deciding on what to change. In fact, if you make the right changes, you can thrive in a floundering economy!
This is what you need to do: smart marketing. Why is it that, when business is down or suffering, marketing is one of the first things that business owners say they “can't afford”? How is scaling back marketing going to help turn things around? Here is just a partial list of some of the things good marketing can do for your company:
* create awareness of your product/service
* foster a sense of urgency and a need for your product/service in the consumers' minds
* establish the reputation of your business
* explain the benefits you offer that your competition does not
* explain how your business is different and better that your competition
* offer a strong money-back guarantee
Now, if done correctly, these things translate into sales. Without marketing, nobody knows about your product or service, and they don't know that they need it. So they won't be buying it. By not spending money on marketing, you lose more money than if you just do nothing. It's that simple.
Think of a product that nearly every person needs: gasoline. People have such a strong need for gas that the product markets itself, due to the reliance on automobiles. But throughout this economy's ups and downs, gasoline has gone well over $4.00 per gallon, and has also dropped under $2.00 per gallon. Despite the bad economy, and despite unpredictable prices, people are still buying gasoline – because they need it, regardless. That's the sense that you need to create in your product or service.
So now you say you can't afford to market that much, right? Well, as a business owner, you can come up with $1,000. Invest that $1,000 in a small marketing campaign that will speak directly to your target audience: some press releases, or maybe a well-written and targeted sales letter. Start small and work your way up if you have to. By nurturing a relationship with your market, you increase the visibility of your business, and you can then start turning those relationships into sales.
Some argue that people are spending less, but I would say that people are simply being more selective in what they buy. Money is still being spent; it's just not being thrown around much without thinking. It's your job as a business owner to convince the buyer to spend their valuable money on you and not on something else.
So, instead of cutting back on marketing, get smart about it. Don't sit around complaining. Give your business a fighting chance to succeed. Find a way to keep your market informed of your business and why they need you. Only then will you see your business thrive, and you can stop using the bad economy as an excuse.
How to recessionproof your business with smart marketing - To learn more about this author, visit Peter Geisheker's Website.
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It's no secret that today's economy is struggling. People are losing money, and businesses are scrambling to keep costs low and sales high, while the consumer is spending less than normal. Your business could possibly have taken a hit as well these days, and you are scaling back operations in order to keep afloat. When people ask you, “How's business?”, you may reply with the same grumble that everyone else has: “Well, you know the economy is down...”
Do you have to change your operations to adapt to recession? Absolutely. The problem is, many business owners are making huge mistakes when it comes to deciding on what to change. In fact, if you make the right changes, you can thrive in a floundering economy!
This is what you need to do: smart marketing. Why is it that, when business is down or suffering, marketing is one of the first things that business owners say they “can't afford”? How is scaling back marketing going to help turn things around? Here is just a partial list of some of the things good marketing can do for your company:
* create awareness of your product/service
* foster a sense of urgency and a need for your product/service in the consumers' minds
* establish the reputation of your business
* explain the benefits you offer that your competition does not
* explain how your business is different and better that your competition
* offer a strong money-back guarantee
Now, if done correctly, these things translate into sales. Without marketing, nobody knows about your product or service, and they don't know that they need it. So they won't be buying it. By not spending money on marketing, you lose more money than if you just do nothing. It's that simple.
Think of a product that nearly every person needs: gasoline. People have such a strong need for gas that the product markets itself, due to the reliance on automobiles. But throughout this economy's ups and downs, gasoline has gone well over $4.00 per gallon, and has also dropped under $2.00 per gallon. Despite the bad economy, and despite unpredictable prices, people are still buying gasoline – because they need it, regardless. That's the sense that you need to create in your product or service.
So now you say you can't afford to market that much, right? Well, as a business owner, you can come up with $1,000. Invest that $1,000 in a small marketing campaign that will speak directly to your target audience: some press releases, or maybe a well-written and targeted sales letter. Start small and work your way up if you have to. By nurturing a relationship with your market, you increase the visibility of your business, and you can then start turning those relationships into sales.
Some argue that people are spending less, but I would say that people are simply being more selective in what they buy. Money is still being spent; it's just not being thrown around much without thinking. It's your job as a business owner to convince the buyer to spend their valuable money on you and not on something else.
So, instead of cutting back on marketing, get smart about it. Don't sit around complaining. Give your business a fighting chance to succeed. Find a way to keep your market informed of your business and why they need you. Only then will you see your business thrive, and you can stop using the bad economy as an excuse.
How to recessionproof your business with smart marketing - To learn more about this author, visit Peter Geisheker's Website.
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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