In these recessionary times, business owners beat a retreat. SME owners look at cost savings, financial controls and expenditure. However if this is done in isolation, that is, if you rush to control costs without also looking at the top line, your bottom line will start to shrink anyway!
The other unquantifiable cost is, if you withdraw into a cost-saving shell, what happens to your business goodwill? How will you be seen by your customers? Is that affecting your brand? As you cut expenses, without looking after your market, perceived services may suffer. When the good times roll again - and they will - are you going to be ready to take on the competition again or will you be behind the 8 ball rebuilding your reputation and name-recognition?
Counter-intuitive as it is for SME owners in a period of financial slow-down, SMEs must continue marketing efforts. "Marketing" is not only "advertising" which is what SME owners think when they think of marketing. In fact, advertising may be your least effective marketing cost in a shrinking economy.
Effective marketing is the type of marketing that gets your name out there with its "brand" attached in...
Tried Direct Marketing?
In these recessionary times, business owners beat a retreat. SME owners look at cost savings, financial controls and expenditure. However if this is done in isolation, that is, if you rush to control costs without also looking at the top line, your bottom line will start to shrink anyway!
The other unquantifiable cost is, if you withdraw into a cost-saving shell, what happens to your business goodwill? How will you be seen by your customers? Is that affecting your brand? As you cut expenses, without looking after your market, perceived services may suffer. When the good times roll again - and they will - are you going to be ready to take on the competition again or will you be behind the 8 ball rebuilding your reputation and name-recognition?
Counter-intuitive as it is for SME owners in a period of financial slow-down, SMEs must continue marketing efforts. "Marketing" is not only "advertising" which is what SME owners think when they think of marketing. In fact, advertising may be your least effective marketing cost in a shrinking economy.
Effective marketing is the type of marketing that gets your name out there with its "brand" attached in...
