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Saturday, June 6, 2009

Creative Ideas for Our Economy

Think twice about that yellow page ad. More and more businesses are abandoning traditional advertising in favor of less expensive but effective internet advertising and investing in their websites. This is the time to enhance your website, invest in Search Engine Optimization, and join social networking sites like Facebook.

Back to basics. Now’s the time for guerilla marketing – do the things that you know work, but maybe don’t like to do. Cold calls work but no one likes to make them – now’s the time to suck it up and get on the phone.

Call your current customers. Go through your customer list and touch base with them – it never hurts to reach out to your customer base – they’ll be happy to hear from you. Ask them if there’s anyone they know who could use your service, and remind them of any other products or services you offer. You might be surprised to see how effective these calls can be in getting new business. Your clients are your best source of referrals since they’re already fans of yours.

Network. Join the local chamber and show up to meetings. (If you’re already a member but haven’t attended in a while – now’s the time!) Get to know people; get the word out about your company.

Do you have an on-hold messaging system? If so, now more than ever is the time to utilize it to its full potential. Promote new services and product offerings. Be creative; offer specials. Change up the message so people pay attention – you’ll be amazed at how effective this marketing tool can be if used properly!

Send out simple postcards promoting a special discount. Send out at least 1000 postcards – you don’t need to spend tons on full color - blank ink on yellow postcards stick out and don’t cost a lot.

Remember, people are still doing business, they’re just being more careful and looking for good deals – so if you can be creative in how you reach out to them, you can profit in this economy.

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