Chill out!  Keep on marketing!

Yes, it’s somewhat self-serving to suggest that our clients continue doing the very activity we provide for a living, but the answer isn’t just a facile brush-off.  Panic, desperation, and a sense of lack are the first steps down the road of instability, decay, and stagnation for your business.

I repeat:  Chill out!  Keep on marketing!

Why keep truckin’ when times get rough?  Isn’t marketing a luxury item?  You may think so if you have a full or near-full client roster, but the reality is sad and simple:  you are engaged in a daily battle for your clients’ and potential clients’ valuable time.  If you’re not on the top of the heap and first in their minds, you’re not doing enough marketing…and you’re going to be expendable when they start making decisions that affect their bottom lines.  In fact, an economic downturn is a great time to expand your marketing!  Why?  Because when they’re ready to spend again, your clients will remember you and your business.  Guess who’ll be at the top of the to-call list when business picks back up?

It’s hard to overstate the fear and uncertainty that is permeating our media, our culture, and our daily lives these days.  That can be bad news for your business…a bit of doomsday thinking and you’re ready to move into a bunker with your kids, your cats, and your Toaster Strudels and wait out the coming storm.  But are you willing to let your business become a casualty of your own fear?  I didn’t think so.

In times of stress and hardship, turn to what you know.  Turn to those routinized tasks that can make the difference between sink and swim.  I’m talking a commitment to your blog, your monthly e-newsletter, your networking and your follow-up calls.  A tiny bit of footwork and a re-commitment to even a shoestring marketing budget can prep your business for the long haul.

Here are some great links for dealing with stress and anxiety around today’s economic climate:

• Career Couch:  How to Quell Financial Anxiety [New York Times, login may be required]
• Talking Truth to Fear [The Fluent Self]
• Tips for Surviving Tough Economic Times [Trish Thomas, Akamai Consulting]

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