Having founded and started a few companies myself, I can speak with first hand knowledge to the fundamental issues that will contribute to the success or failure of profitability and building a cash surplus during these on-going tough times. This is not my first rodeo (recession).
There should be a preference for developing and implementing a plan to ‘market and sell’ your way to be better partners and a consultative resource for existing customers, clients and prospective business. I have created a list of 7 action items (note the word action) below that when executed, 
will enhance any opportunity for sales and profit in both the short and long run.
1. Over Communicate; by having multiple, enthusiastic, engaging and positive contact with customers and prospects, you will either get more business now, or be first in mind when they pull the trigger.
2. Create Experiences; get past presentations, consultative selling creates experiences.
3. Get a Mascot; like Disney, find a way to identify (market) your organization with a celebrity / mascot / small friend, or create your own icon.
4. Beware of Common Sense; breakthroughs require you to question historically based biases to find new opportunity.
- 5. Avoid perfection; good beats perfect.
6. Don’t Correct Weaknesses; determine what your one or maybe two major strengths are, and build on that.
7. It’s Not on Sale; if you make buying your product or \ service about price, your success or failure will be determined by a negative relationship and turns yours into a commodity.
Another powerful lesson I’ve learned is that offline marketing is enhanced by online interaction. The prudent synthesis of hi-touch, face to face business building and technology, facilitates more frequent, personalized communication and is the secret to delivering a superior prospective customer experience.
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