How To Grow Your Business During A Tough Economy
Marketing and promotion are more important than ever. Two things about marketing and promotion. Now more than ever you have to do it. Your competition may have cut back their marketing and promotion, but now is the time to increase your promotion. Your prospects have not seen ads, received post cards or seen other forms of advertising from your competition for several months. What does this mean to you? How can you take advantage of this situation to increase your sales?
No matter how slow things are people are buying what you sell. Unwise companies jump immediately to marketing and sales items when cutting expenses. Get smarter in your marketing. Look to direct forms of advertising that allow you to target directly the customers you want. Direct mail is such a medium which allows you can target and track. Many people shy away from direct mail because of postage costs and because they do not know how to use it. Post cards are inexpensive.Particularly small 4 x 6 post card. By using a company like Wilson Printing we can get your postage cost down to .19 - .24 cents per post card.
Depending on your target customer other forms of direct mail like sales letters may generate better response. If you are going after a professional market or a market that has mail screeners lead letters will work best for you. We have specialist on staff who can help you write a sales letter that will generate response. There are 5 elements a good sales letter must have in it to be effective.
Full color brochures allow can double as a self mailer - this saves you money and gives you flexibility. Brochures to be effective for direct mail have to be designed so that it flows naturally creating interest. Full color brochures attract attention and can be used to give customers more information or pass ot at trade shows.
When marketing expenditures are increased during difficult times it helps you to power through the cycle. A mistake that many businesses make is that they cut marketing and sales efforts and fail to cut less important activities and expenditures. Marketing and promotion are vital activities. It is the only way to actively increase your sales.
Don't exacerbate the impact of the economy by making bad decisions out of fear or panic. At the same time, don't ignore the economy and what your business can do to withstand a downturn. The good news is that most businesses can survive a tough economy with appropriate action and decision making.
Makr Hale
