Environmental Marketer

The environmental and indoor air quality industries are made up many small and mid-size businesses that have been challenged by the slowing economy. A recent survey in USA Today showed that 1/3 of small business owners were just waiting for the economy to improve while 2/3 were trying new proactive ways to keep their company growing and surviving.

As the late industrialist Henry Ford once said, "A market is never saturated with a good product, but it is very quickly saturated with a bad one." Being proactive during these difficult times is a crucial business decision for most business owners who supply valuable services or products. Now is the time to sharpen your company's sales and marketing skills with increased efforts to make your products and services shine in new ways - think outside of the box.

So if you are a business owner or in charge of growing your company's revenues then what are some things you can do to make your company stand out from the rest without spending a lot of additional resources on marketing.

Equipment - Does your company utilize cutting-edge technologies? If you do make sure your clients and prospects recognize that you are an industry leader and have invested the resources to provide the best services or products by using the latest equipment and technologies available.

Services - If your company goes above and beyond for your clients make that a strong part of your marketing. Get permission from a client that has seen this great service your company provides and use their story and information in your marketing.

Support - Whether selling products or services the ability to support your offerings through technical and customer service support is a strong tool. Be sure you are letting your customer base understand all the support you offer.

Warranties & Guarantees - If your company offers any type of warranty or guarantee make this a focal point in your sales and marketing efforts. In our industry not all companies provide this peace of mind to their clients, so if you do, let the world know you do.

Testimonials - Words of endorsement by a prominent (or even unknown) happy client can be a powerful resource. The use of testimonials in business is a proven method to market your company.

Certifications & Accreditations - Does your company have certifications and accreditations that you have earned for the company or individual employees? If you do, use them in your marketing to show your experience and recognition by the certifying body to your clients and prospects.

Awards & Associations - Has your company received any awards or special recognition? Also do you or your company belong to any professional associations or business groups such as the Better Business Bureau? When possible use this information and the association logos to add credibility and depth to your company's public awareness.

Articles & Press Releases - Take the time to write and distribute articles and press releases about your company. There are many industry journals, not to mention local media outlets, which may find your business to be of great interest to their readers.

Speak & Present - Join relevant local and nation associations and ask to be a presenter at a future meeting. Groups are usually looking for new speakers to teach their members on pertinent topics. This is an inexpensive way to have a captive audience, use the opportunity wisely.

There are many ways that small and mid-size companies in our industry can stand out from the crowd without the expenditure of a lot of resources. These are just a few examples of things to consider. There is no limit to what a creative mind can come up with to enhance your business during these challenging times.

About the author:
Paul Cochrane is the founder and president of Cochrane & Associates, LLC. The company is a business development, marketing and public relations consulting firm specializing in the IAQ and environmental industries. Mr. Cochrane is a 13 year veteran of the industry and has been a frequent guest author and speaker in numerous industry publications and events.

For more information about how Cochrane & Associates can help your business thrive is a tough economy please visit: