Zero-G Creative

You want resolutions? I got resolutions…

Jan 01 2009

I guess it’s tough to get through the start of the year without acknowledging the opportunities that come with every new January 1st and the idea that maybe we’ll do things a little differently this year. So here are my Small Business New Year’s Resolutions for 2009… Hope they’re helpful!

1. Stop worrying about the economy. From what I see working with business owners every day, unless you’re in real estate or somehow otherwise tied to the banking/housing crises, small businesses seem to be doing just fine. Keep a positive outlook and resolve NOT to participate in the recession. A down economy is a fantastic business opportunity to gain an advantage over competitiors who — unlike yourself — are feeling skiddish about the economy and are cutting spending, cutting marketing and basically going into “hibernation” mode until CNN says it’s over. Now is the time to put your best face forward.

2. Focus. Focus everything. Focus your offerings and marketing on products/services that reap the greatest profit. Focus your marketing/mailing lists and don’t be afraid to cut it down by 20 or 30% and reinvest the time and cash savings in hitting the remaining 80% harder. And don’t forget to schedule time with yourself every week to focus on your outbound sales and marketing efforts.

3. Out with the old. Make a list of every item in your sales or marketing toolkit that you haven’t overhauled in at least two years. And then start replacing them one by one. Make yourself a calendar and set deadlines to remind you when that old web site needs to be gone, when you’re going to work on replacing that circa 2006 trifold with something more relevant. This also goes back to my first resolution about turning the bad economy into an opportunity. A fresh look sends a strong implied message to your customers that you’re not only surviving but excelling. No one wants to do business with someone who looks like they’re circling the drain; your customers and prospects want to partner with firms that look strong and have that “smell of success” about them.

4. Do SOMETHING online. I’m assuming here that you already have an active email marketing strategy. If not, start on that immediately. But social media affords some fantastic opportunities to connect with and stay in front of clients, prospects, partners and vendors and you should be represented somewhere out there. There are many social media tools out there that are great for promoting business and business people (besides good old-fashioned traditional blogging) including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Squidoo to name just a handful. But don’t go and jump head first into all this stuff… Pick one and stick with it (we all know you don’t have time to devote to updating several social media tools every day so be realistic; after all, no one is impressed with a stale profile that never seems to have anything new or interesting). And stick with it for a few months at least before giving up.

My social media drug of choice is Twitter (though I’m also active on LinkedIn). I’ve been on Twitter a few months now, and even though it’s a big commitment to keep it current, it’s a lot of fun and I have definitely connected with people who will be valuable in my business this year. Really, it’s the easiest and most painless networking I’ve ever done.

5. Do something green. I think it should be crystal clear by now that “green” is the new color of money. Yes, it’s also the old color of money, but you all know what I mean. Being environmentally friendly is not only responsible, it’s profitable. And environmentally-friendly practices can be implemented MUCH more quickly and easily within nimble, streamlined small businesses than in our big, clunky large enterprise counterparts. Now is a great time to claim a point of differentiation for your business that is both socially responsible and relevant to your customers.

6. Give something back. Charity may not be directly tied to sales and marketing benefits but so what? No business is too small to care about philanthropy and supporting their community. Doing the right thing is its own reward and tends to bring other unexpected benefits as well.

Happy New Year! Here’s a to a fantastic 2009!

Published by Erik Wolf under Marketing Materials, Strategy, Web/Interactive