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Slump Marketing:
5 Tips from Experts for Getting More Business in a Slow Economy
 I've been hearing from two distinctly different types of solopreneurs lately. Seems they are either in the "feeling a bit of a slowdown" camp or on the "business couldn't be better" side.
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The TV news is hard to ignore. Painful things are happening to good people. But, as solopreneurs, we have an advantage over the big companies. We can adapt-offer new stuff, change our services and packages, add more customer choices-often in as little as 24 hours.
In this issue of Marketing Hotspots, four of my colleagues share tips for marketing in an economic downturn:
· Ilise Benun, consultant and co-founder of Marketing Mentor, says, "Don't panic. Do something instead. Networking is the number one recession marketing tool. Double up your efforts. If you usually attend two events a month, find four. It can only help." So get out there and make the smart connections that lead to new business.
· Sonia Simone of Remarkable Communications advises, "With the economy falling down around our ears, this is a great time to get a lot smarter. One of the pleasures of any relationship is being able to express your appreciation. It's a complicated system for most big companies to implement. You can just send a warm, personal thank-you note. And maybe some cookies."
· John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing fame suggests creating strategic partnerships with non-competing businesses. "Find a way to tap into their self-interest. Take them an effective white paper and let them co-brand and co-sponsor it. That way, they have a ready-made and logical way to partner with you and you've done all the work."
· Anita Campbell, from Small Business Trends, thinks that during tight times, online marketing can be cost-effective, especially if you have more time than money. "Your lead times are shorter," she said, "it can be turned up or down as needed, and with social media, you have a level playing field." Campbell thinks keeping your web site fresh and up to date should be your #1 priority, followed closely by blogging and permission-based e-marketing.
Last but not least, here at Cat's Eye Marketing, we say: focus on providing exceptional service to your current customers in value-added ways; work to become an expert in your specific market niche through presentations, article marketing and other strategies; offer more packages to meet individual needs; figure out ways to divide your offerings into smaller chunks; and tell your clients you'd like to help people just like them and ask them for referrals. For other ideas for no-cost self-promotion, read my biznik article: "Who Wants a Free TV Commercial?"
If you do just one or two things a week, you will get more referrals, new clients, and more business from your current customers-all with the investment of just a little more time.
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