John Landsberg of Bottom Line Communications writes a monthly marketing column for Kansas City Small Business Monthly and is a nationally recognized business speaker. He also is an adjunct professor of marketing and public relations at three colleges.
By John Landsberg As far as the economy goes, this has not been a great year. So? Is your new business strategy basically to roll over and die? Didn�t think so.But that�s basically the strategy that many business folks are implementing.And many of them are going belly-up. Big financial institutions have been run by brilliant financial geniuses. They were brilliant right up to the time they went bankrupt. So much for brilliancy. As a small business owner you really don�t have the luxury of waiting for the government to ride in on a white horse and save your business.It isn�t going to happen. One of my favorite slogans is �When you stop getting better, you stop being good.� It is very true.If you aren�t trying new ways of generating business and moving ahead you are beginning a slide into oblivion. A down economy does not have to keep your business down.Here are some suggestions for improving your business: �Increase your public relations efforts.As a PR guy I wholeheartedly recommend you retain my services.However, even if you don�t call me, try to get exposure for your business in the media on your own.Send out a news release about your business, offer to give a talk to the Rotary or Kiwanis or any business or civic group, donate items to a charity, be involved in a trade show, etc.Get your company out in front of the public.�Increase your advertising. Virtually all big businesses whack their PR and ad budgets at the first sign of a downturn. To them it is a quick fix that will reduce costs.It is also a quick fix that will cost them dearly.Now is the time to negotiate some really good media ad rates that will give your business the exposure it needs while your competitors are hiding under their desks.�If you have a Web site or blog start using it to help your business.Write guest articles in your area of expertise.Comment on other sites and have them comment on your site.Generate traffic.�Start a loyalty program.Give your customers something worthwhile at a very good price and you can begin to develop an emotional attachment with them.Communicate regularly with them and develop a relationship. Email programs cost virtually nothing to implement. �Do dating mining.There is no one in the world who knows as much about your customers as you do or is sitting on valuable information about them. Go through your lists of customers. Where to they live? Ages?When did they last purchase from you?How can you get them to return to your business? �Start a referral program. If an existing customer refers a new customer to you then give him/her a reward.It doesn�t have to be a huge gift, but one that lets them know you value their assistance. The more folks recommending your services the better. �Get out of the office. Join the Chamber of Commerce. If you are a member then actually go to functions and talk with folks.Get involved in organizations that can help your business.Heck, buy some candy and just drop in on customers and let them know you appreciate their business. �Team up with another company that might target customers similar to yours. Offer your customers a 20% discount at another company and vice versa.It can be a win-win for both of you. This year might go down in the annals of business as the greatest year ever.But you have survived despite no government bailouts.
Now is the time to put into place some new and exciting ways to promote your business for 2009 and beyond. Start now.
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