Tag: economy

Small Businesses In Tough Economic Times

Some experts are advising
small business owners
simply ignore
the stock and credit market turmoil.

The only thing you should ignore
is that advice.

If your company is doing well,
turn your focus to your key customers.
Call them up.
If they comment on the economy,
ask them if there is anything you can do to help
(and have a few good ideas of what you can do
if they say yes).

Even if they are doing wonderfully,
you’ve strengthened your relationship by asking.
You’ve become a true partner,
someone they can count on
and trust.

We all like to do business with people we trust.

Send A Thank You Today

With a down economy
comes downsizing.
Downsizing means more work for remaining employees.
How to ensure some of their precious time
is spent on your projects?

Send thank you’s.

I’m working on an implementation right now.
After each milestone is reached,
I send out thank you emails.
I make them personal.
I place them in an isolated email
(nothing other than the thank you).
I cc the person’s boss.

Thank you’s in this company are rare.
The receipients appreciate them
(especially with lay offs looming).
Their bosses appreciate them
(everyone wants to manage superstars).
My project has suddenly become a priority.

Send a thank you today
(they are even better sent on a Sunday).

Why We Should Be Hopeful

The media is focusing on
the gloom and doom.
They may be right.
There may be a legit reason to be worried.

But when the big guns are promoting one emotion
(fear),
there is always a marketing opportunity
for small business
to promote the opposite
(hope).

Now, I’m not saying
stand up and say the economy is going to be fine
when no one thinks it will be.
That’ll make you look like an ignorant jack a$$

What I’m suggesting is
focusing on the positives
in
other areas.

For example:

On reader loops,
a lot of people are talking about the economy.
Heavy, depressing, tiring stuff.

I, instead, talk about the great books
I’ve read recently.

This positive promotion makes me stand out.