Prepare Your Communications For Growth

As the American economy emerges from recession, many businesses are now reexamining their marketing materials and realizing that their communications are outdated, ill-prepared for the return of a robust, competitive, growing economic environment. Strategies developed to survive hard times are often the wrong ones for profiting in good times.

Here are five strategies for ensuring that your marketing is fully prepared for the economic recovery:

Promote the most optimistic tone possible. Now isn't the time to hide your strength or to conserve your energy - show your industry leadership by promoting a tone of bold optimism in every written work that represents your company. Every word of every sentence should be carefully crafted to project the good news that your company is doing well, growing strong, and standing ready to carry your customers' confidence to new heights in the coming year. There's simply no room for doubt or even neutrality in the words that represent you to the world.

Stress growth, not survival. Your business survived the recession - pat yourself on the back, but not in public. Some companies begin an economic recovery by merely reminding old customers that they still exist; don't be one of them. Instead, demonstrate how your business grew, evolved and improved in recent years - and is now providing more value to your customers than ever. In communications that mention the economic downturn, don't deny the facts, but present them as historic opportunities for your company rather than ordeals to be survived.

Stress benefits, not costs. A recessionary economy naturally forces companies into price wars, and customers instinctively associate price slashing with a down economy and a shrinking company. Analyze your marketing, take note of any aspect which promises lower costs than your competitors, and replace as many as possible with promotions of your greatest positive service benefits. When the growing economy allows for a price recovery, you don't want to be hamstrung by marketing that promises recessionary pricing.

Remember who your friends are - and why. Your core customer base is the reason you're still in business. Take a moment and thank them for their continued patronage. Take particular note of the reasons why your most loyal customers stand by you, through good times and bad. Ask them, if necessary. As the economy shifts gears, you have an opportunity to discover very profitable facts about your market that can go unnoticed in both recessions and expansions. Learn those facts and refocus your communications appropriately.

Finally, get back to basics. Now's the time to take a good look at your business, in light of long-term goals and your original reasons for being in business. Dust off your business plan, reload your mission statement, and evaluate your core communications in terms of the fundamental principles that make up your company; use your marketing to not only bring in new business, but to also inspire your company to grow great into the vision that gave birth to it in the first place.

Your written communications are instrumental to bringing your company's vision into the world; the coming year is going to bring great opportunity to those businesses prepared to take advantage of it.

As the economy shifts gears from recession to expansion, make sure your marketing does as well.

About The Author

Robert Warren (www.rswarren.com) is a Florida-based freelance copywriter specializing in the unique marketing needs of independent professionals.

writer@rswarren.com

---

Simple Marketing Strategies Versus an SEO Line of Attack!

Each and every day those of us on the Internet... Read More

Mortgage Marketing - Viral-Email, Referral Marketing Strategy

This is a devastatingly powerful way to extend your marketing... Read More

How To Perfect Your Marketing Message!

When it comes to your marketing message, the little things... Read More

Successful Non-for-Profit Fundraising Letters Share Eight Qualities

You'll be encouraged to know that the art of writing... Read More

Are You Attracting or Repelling Prospects?

There are basically two ways in which you can either... Read More

It Takes Two - How to Cultivate Profitable Alliances

"Cross promoting with other businesses can give you a significant... Read More

Overview on Qualitative Data Collection Techniques in International Marketing Research

This article is meant to be a brief review and... Read More

Marketing Tips: Free First

When people think about promoting their business, the first thought... Read More

Marketing on a Budget

A successful marketing plan doesn't have to include an athletic... Read More

Tie-In With Others To Maximize Your Business Leverage

One of the most rewarding, inexpensive, under-used, and effective methods... Read More

Full Color Postcard Marketing: 7 Reasons Why They?ve Become the New Direct Mail

The most crucial aspect of having a high response rate... Read More

For Market Breakthroughs, Put Timing on Your Side

In today' s marketplace, the pressure for immediate bottom-line results... Read More

Marketing Hat for Graphic Designers or Wannabe?s

Many people think that the quality of any graphic design... Read More

Top 5 Ways to Generate Qualified Leads for Your Small Business

Do you ever wonder if you could be doing a... Read More

Budget Marketing: Managing Your Marketing Money Wisely!

There's a saying that half of all marketing efforts are... Read More

Prepare Your Communications For Growth

As the American economy emerges from recession, many businesses are... Read More

Incentives For Customers? Whats New?

Lost & Found for the 21st CenturyHere in the 21st... Read More

7 Simple Marketing Tips

Here are 7 simple marketing tips to help you boost... Read More

Do this One Thing and Beat 85% of Your Competition!

Maybe you don't want to work that hard, or maybe... Read More

Eight Steps To A Great Marketing Plan

Step 1: Where Am I Now? Before you decide where... Read More

Design Does Matter

The idea that good design can improve how people perceive... Read More

Loyalty Cards ? Tips To Consider Before Committing To One

Loyalty marketing has been around for as long as retailing... Read More

How to Avoid Giving Away Free Consulting

After spending 30 minutes in a coffee shop with a... Read More

2 Great, Free Techniques to Get Customers to Come to You, Not the Other Way Around

Here is a powerful tip on how to substantially increase... Read More

Send Postcards To Save Money and Cut Through E-mail Clutter

Use your computer to send personalized color postcards in quantities... Read More

To Be Successful Sell to Wants not Needs

My mother used to tell me, tongue in cheek, that... Read More

Attracting Clients With Ease

Whether you are already running your own business, or still... Read More

How to Tie a Tie and How To Kiss - What Do They Have In Common?

How to Tie a Tie and How To Kiss -... Read More

CRM Star Wars: When Marketing is from Venus and IT is from Mars

Inherent tensions exist between marketing and IT. This is often... Read More

Postcards: Awareness Tool or Selling Tool?

Are postcards better for building awareness or for selling?In my... Read More

Mortgage Marketing - How to Find Your Niche

Ann Landers, Dr. Phil and Roger Ebert take pleasure in... Read More

Marketing with Special Reports. 5 Ways to Develop Content Your Prospects Cant Wait to Read

So you've decided to start publishing an e-newsletter, or you'd... Read More

Tricks of the Trade: Design your Booth for Maximum Impact

The fight for your customer's attention at a tradeshow has... Read More