Marketing your business can still influence consumers in any economy.  In fact, you can change how you market your business and maintain a customer base when others are hitting hard times. What you need are new and innovative ways to bring attention to your business instead of depending on the old ways to get people to learn about you. Use these ideas to  increase your market share and see your business take a turnaround. 

1. Go personal by increasing your personal networking opportunities. Shake hands, meet people, and follow up with new acquaintances. Networking is the best way to let people know more about you. Look for opportunities you might have missed before and find new ones to make personal appearances and to meet people. Get those business cards and brochures with special offers updated and ready to distribute. Remember you have to let people see you multiple times before many make a buying decision so find new ways to get in front of people more often.  

2. Repurpose what you do instead of approaching people in the same way. The brochures you’ve always had look like the same ones everyone else is handing out. Just because you’ve presented your business in one format before doesn’t mean you have to do the same thing now. Instead of sending print newsletters, try audio and video. Instead of just handing out business cards and brochures, offer to do a demonstration of your products or services to give instant information. Be the first to be different by taking what you have and using it in a new way to attract attention.

3. Go live by providing informational seminars and workshops on topics related to your product or services. Hold workshops for free or low cost to introduce what you do to groups then shoot for individual clients. Give actual training events or spend one to two hours providing new insights into topics related t your business. Have your special offers ready to go at the end of the event and offer discounts for immediate sign-ups.  

4. Get your name in front of potential clients by donating products or services to groups and associations even if you’re the only one giving for that particular event. Tell the group organizers you are offering a door prize for their members that will help to increase the value of their meetings to members. Who could resist a free way to increase their member benefits? Make this a regular offer and continue to increase your exposure. If others follow suit, you’ll still be the first to make the offer.  

5. Look for ways to partner with other professionals and develop new package offerings of products and services. For example, maybe you have a skin care line and she has a stress reduction program. Together you offer a “look better and live longer” package at special pricing.    

6. Create the opportunities you need by organizing an event that lets you highlight what you have to offer. Reserve a room at a popular café or restaurant and invite several businesses that compliment but don’t compete with yours to join you in an evening of live demonstrations and information sharing. Make it a regular happening in your community that people come to expect and enjoy the increase in visibility for your business.    

7. Develop your reputation as the professional in your field. Write articles for the local newspaper get on public television and public radio and do a regular show for the community. Then get involved with Internet media shows. Of course you have to promote these offline shows on the web and the Internet marketing shows through offline means. This helps you to expand your reach and increase your frequency of exposure which are the two major keys to successful advertising.   

Marketing your business in new ways is more important than ever if you want to succeed in challenging economic times. Competitors are closing their doors which means more potential customers for the businesses that survive. Take steps to revamp your marketing efforts to respond to the needs of your target market. 

Be flexible and creative in how you present what you have to offer and be willing to put in the time and effort needed to make personal contacts. Be willing to think outside of the box and your business will be able to survive and thrive during times of economic challenge.