We all hear about the problematic economy everyday. It’s enough to make us all want to hide under a rock and weep! But that’s not going to do anyone any good is it? No matter what is going on with the economy, businesses still need to decide where to spend their money and where to put their energy. Marketing is often the place where decision makers decide to cut back because it seems like it is temporarily expendable.
Don’t fall into this trap! If you reduce your marketing efforts, you also reduce your market voice, and this means your audience can start to forget about you. Out of sight, out of mind they say…Your audience needs to know that you exist, what you offer, and why it is valuable to them.
So, how do you reach out to your audience if the marketing dollars ain’t what they used to be? We’ve gathered a few suggestions for effectively communicating with your audience and staying in their minds. These are our favourites because we feel they give you the best bang for your buck.
Not all marketing costs money: sending out thank you cards or calling all your current and past customers to touch base are strategies that are pretty close to free. Taking customers out for coffee is an inexpensive way to remind them why they like you so much. Make sure to take care of the relationships you have already made!
A newsletter (like this one!) takes a small investment to design, produce and distribute, but the maintenance is practically free. If you make the investment, you get a tool that educates your clients, keeps you in their minds, lets you be a resource, and gives you a forum to convey your core values.
There are some important guidelines to establishing a successful newsletter — here is the go-to resource we used when creating this newsletter. Michael Katz of New Penguin Development strongly encourages finding a unique voice, providing useful information, consistent publishing, and many other pieces of excellent advice. His own newsletter is compelling.
It is understood that pretty much all companies need a website, but not all websites are created equal... An effective website reinforces your brand and gets logistical information across (you know, the little details: your message, your call to action, where to find you and how to contact you).
But be warned: an ineffective website will work against you. Confusing layout, inconsistent design, missing information, broken links, a dated appearance, and obsolete information can sometimes make would-be customers head to your competitor’s more welcoming website.
Make sure your website is working for you. Your site should be well designed and consistent with your company brand; present useful information in a clear, easy-to-navigate manner; be easily searchable by popular search engines; be updated regularly; and provide analytical information about how your viewers are using the site.
We all need to continue to communicate with our audiences, even when times are rocky. (Especially when times are rocky!) Now is a better time than ever to look for ways to connect with your audience so they remember that you are there, and they can find you when they need you. Build some solid communication tools that will help you through this difficult economic time, and you will be able to rely on them to boost you into orbit when things become rosy again!
ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE