The face of marketing has changed for the small business owner during the recession.  The way you market yourself needs to change to accommodate the evolving needs of your target customer audience during uncertain economic times.  Does your marketing messaging still relate to your existing customer base?  Your prospective customers?  For example, now that customers are carefully evaluating where to spend their money, does your marketing messaging platform still resonate well with these customer groups?  Does your value proposition for the products and services you offer still make sense now that we have entered the recession?

The answers to these questions should be thoroughly evaluated by your small business’ management team to ensure success during the recession.  Your business may only have one chance, maybe a few seconds to influence a new prospective customer.  Does your brand stand out during the recession?  Is your marketing messaging targeted enough to get to the point for a prospective new customer?  If the answer is no, I would suggest redeveloping your business’ identity before it’s too late.  Now that businesses are doing anything it takes to keep existing customers and get new customers - the competition in your industry niche is about to get even more competitive.  

Small business owners are operating in the “Targeted Age Of Information,” along with the recession.  So how can you make your business stand out among competitors that offer similar products and services?  The answer includes the following steps:

1.  Make sure your brand stands out to prospective customers during the recession.  Create or enhance your small business’ brand to immediately attract and identify with your target audience.  For example, if a prospective customer heard your business name, would they know what you do?  If not, you may want to consider changing your business’ name.  This may sound harsh, but if you plan to use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to promote your business, this will help tremendously.  Consider this as well - if you have only 1 second to tell a customer prospect about your business, you may be able to influence them to choose your business, if they happen to be looking for the products and services you offer.  One example of this could be telling a customer prospect of ours “Shock Marketing.”  Then if the person is considering a marketing vendor, we would have a chance to tell them more about what we do.  If our name was “Shock Strategies” instead of Shock Marketing, we may never get the opportunity to further develop that business lead.  Does your business have a tagline that explains how you do business or add to the customer experience?  Does your visual identity grab your customer’s attention and stand out from your competition?  If they answers are no, you may want to reposition your marketing plan and visual business identity.  Does your business have a website that offers a user-friendly way to interact with your business?  

All of these questions and answers will determine if a customer prospect will first consider, and then later choose your business for their product or service needs.  Think about your ideal target customer comparing all our your business’ brand elements (marketing, design, web) in great detail against nine of your competitors.  Will you win the business?  If you are uncertain, it’s best to go back to the drawing board now before it’s too late.

2.  Provide added value at every customer interaction.  There should be a certain amount of value included as part of the products and services you offer your existing customers and new customer prospects.  Do you provide free white papers about your industry to your customers?  Do you educate them about your industry expertise and how it relates to their unique situation.  We recommend providing as much value as possible at every interaction.  Again, if you were compared to nine of your closest competitors, who would be providing the most customer value?

3.  Provide stellar customer service.  I can’t say this enough - irregardless of what the small business market and economy looks like.  If a business can’t provide great customer service in a good economy, then in my opinion, they should not be in business to begin with.  Now that we are in a recession, customer service has become one of many crucial differentiating factors that will determine if an existing customer will stay with your small business, and if a new prospective will choose your business.

Bottom line - stand out to your customers at all costs during the recession.  Give your existing customers a long list of sub-conscious reasons why they should never leave you and choose a competitor.  Show your prospective customers why you are the best choice for them during uncertain times, while offering added value and best-in-class customer service.

Here’s a great article that outlines how small businesses can best focus their priorities during a recession.  Overall, it says that small businesses cannot afford to cut marketing and advertising, even during tough times.  However, the article recommends how to cut costs elsewhere. 

Saturday Reader: Steering small business through rough economy