As we deal with the downturn in the worldwide economy, what are you doing to help your business survive the Recession? Most small businesses aren’t Recession-Proof and when people start taking a closer look at their discretionary spending, they tend to spend less on those extra products and services, such as the ones your business might provide.
Here’s some ways we all can help sustain our own businesses, and increase revenues while decreasing costs.

• Make sure your website is Search Engine Optimized. This will guarantee that when someone searches for what your business offers, they will find it before they find your competition. Search Engine Optimization and Online Marketing is the easiest way to generate leads to your website and it has a much longer shelf-life and is a better ROI than print ads such as Yellow Pages, Buy and Sell or Province/Sun Classifieds. (If you give RTP Online a call, they’ll give you $100 off a basic web site and SEO package. Just mention this post.)

• If you aren’t already, keep a database of all your past customers and all leads that never panned out. During these lean times, call those old clients and see if there is anything else you can assist them with. With the old leads that didn’t end up becoming clients, contact them and see if they ever received what they were looking for and if not, offer it to them.

• Give something away for free. Free estimates, free shipping, buy-one-get-one-free, anything free to show your client that you appreciate their business.

• Follow up each successful sale with a personal phone call or email to say thank-you for the purchase. Even better is a hand-written letter to thank the customer.

• Offer a finders fee for people if they send you a client. Referrals and word-of-mouth are great for business and if someone goes out of their way to tell another about your product or service, you should thank them.

• Take a close look at your own business spending. Are you spending money every month on ads that aren’t bringing you any clients? Are you spending money on flyers that cost too much money, too much of your time to design and print and then you aren’t seeing a return? Think about free advertising. Use the Internet to your advantage. Join social networks, post ads on message boards, and create a blog talking about your products. The internet is a valuable tool and other than your monthly Internet charges from Shaw Cable, you can promote your site for free online and see some decent returns.

• Sponsor events. Have a gift basket company? Donate a basket or two in exchange for your name in the program or on the flyer. Make sure to put a business card in the basket so the winner can buy a basket from you later on!

• Invest a little money on Internet Marketing if you don’t have the time to devote to getting your business name spread around the net. RTP Online can handle this for you, or you can find many other companies that will get your company’s brand out on the ‘Net.

• Don’t forget your existing clients. Make them feel special and ensure they have everything they need. Ask them if the products and services are working for them and if not, make it right.

• Increase your level of service and offer your clients more. Now that in many senses we are a global economy, there is plenty of competition for most businesses and unlike days gone by, you don’t have to worry about the business down the street undercutting you…There could be someone across the globe that beats your price by 15%. As times get tougher, people will be looking for a deal. Give them one.

There are many ways for you to keep afloat and even increase your revenue during a Recession but you have to battle hard. Don’t be afraid to make deals and lower your prices because even though you might lose money on the first deal, that customer will return knowing that they got a good deal.

Make sure to remember your past and present customers and make it your goal to make everyone that does business with you, feel good about the interaction and purchase.