SALES OPTIMIZATION: 7 steps to recession marketing strategy

In the early days of management training I was placed on a team with business students. Across the table was another team and we were there to take part in a business experiment. Each team was like a small business, facing the most common challenge we would one day encounter in the real world: the competition. The rules set down were fairly simple. Each group had exactly three minutes to build the tallest structure from a "Tinker Toys" game. Each "company" was allowed five minutes to study all the pieces in private. Our job was to come up with an action plan, and the goal was to be the team to build the tallest structure which remained standing after three minutes. There were only two grades given for the test, Either an A or an F. Either you passed or failed, very simple.

My team was getting nowhere during our planning session so I took action. It felt like no one else wanted to be responsible for a loss. To prevent confusion I kept the plan straightforward and assigned each person their own colored pieces and the order they should build in. I had the team repeat back the plan to be sure we were all on the same page.

At the word "go" both teams got to work. I was amazed at how smooth things began for my team and how quickly we progressed. The other group however, was clamorous and seemed to lack control. Their strategy was for each person to build in a frenzy, as fast as possible without order. Before long our structure was sturdy and over 3 feet tall. But to our dismay we noticed the other team had actually built much taller than ours. With only a minute left to go I was starting to get the "evil eye" from my team mates. I knew I needed to keep everyone focused. "Stick to our plan...just stick to the plan!" I demanded. And we did.

Many years have passed since taking this simple test. There were many valuable lessons I took from the experiment. As we watched the other team's "taller" structure fall over at the buzzer, I was proud to see ours standing tall and firm. My team was awarded the victory. The benefit of proper strategy and teamwork became abundantly clear to everyone on my team that day.

Today we are in a recession. Many business managers are being pushed to their limits and in desperate times may make the mistake of moving hastily without order to find solutions. In the current environment it is crucial that small business owners stay focused and follow time honored principles that apply to strategy in order to succeed. "Sales optimization" or reaching the highest possible sales goals can only happen with a solid formula. You will need a good team with a dedicated leader. As a leader you will need to guide the entire team through difficult challenges and keep everyone motivated and on course. Ultimately with sales and marketing, your team must do a great job of reaching your customers and proving you are better than your competition. The benefits you offer must be very clear.

First impressions are imperative. Customers will still buy, but they will purchase differently now. They will do a lot more research than normal and scrutinize the competition more cautiously. Low prices will be a bigger factor now but value will be the key to winning more business. No matter how strong you have built your business structure you now need to create an aggressive marketing plan that makes sense for your company to show what value you offer. Now is the time to go over your entire marketing plan and consider these seven steps to achieve sales optimization during the recession:

Step 1.) Take action
The one thing that will separate you from your competition during a recession will be your decision to take action with a marketing plan while everyone else sits quietly. You must take charge now, or face failure during the recession.

Step 2.) Give great, reliable service
Make sure your whole team understands this clearly. Look at your offering and make sure it exceeds the expectations of the customer. Don't forget: the core to an effective marketing plan is first the quality of service or product you offer. No marketing plan in the world can make up for poor service.

Step 3.) Project a winning image
From a marketing viewpoint how does your business "look" to your customers? Does your website look mediocre? Is your branding inconsistent? Does your company image seem outdated? You must consider all visual elements and see your product or service through the eyes of the customer. Perception is everything and important to constantly analyze. It is imperative you make the best first impression to every possible customer: you need them all.

Step 4.) Get out there and sell
Let everyone know how good you are. Get testimonials from happy customers to back it up. Show customers through your actions you are great, and remember as business author Brian Tracy puts it, selling is simply a "transfer of enthusiasm." Create a solid reliable presence with your prospects and your current customer base and keep it there. You only really lose a sale when you stop trying. Now is the time to truly stand out in the crowd.

Step 5.) Use the internet
Web presence, SEO, blogs, social media, e-newsletters, networking. If these are not part of your strategy for the recession you are out of step. If you need help understanding how it all works then find help NOW. Many expert marketing consultants can help you get up to speed with navigating all of the marketing tools available on the internet. I guarantee you, with all of the down time purchasing agents have during a slowing economy they will be all over the internet looking for the best options. They will not deal with a business that looks behind the curve on the web.

Step 6.) Incorporate PR into your marketing mix.
PR today applies to both traditional news media and the internet as a marketing tool. Think like an editor and create news that is interesting and meaningful to your audience. Using media relations to complete your marketing plan is a very smart way to go, especially if you had to reduce your advertising budget due to the current economics.

Step 7.) Don't panic
Stay the course and follow your recession strategy. Don't look backwards. Keep focused and stay busy. You can never do too much to do to increase web presence because content is the key to SEO. You must now increase your marketing efforts despite the challenging financial climate that we are all in. If you need help seek a seasoned professional. At the very least a marketing consultant will offer free basic evaluation of your current strengths and weaknesses.

Once you have a clear professional game plan you will feel empowered to do what you must do now: TAKE ACTION.

Copyright © 2008-2009. Michael Gallion & Vicky Gallion. All rights reserved. Michael and Vicky Gallion are owners of The Gallion Company in Redondo Beach, CA and offer sales optimization through marketing and public relations strategy. They also focus on developing marketing recession strategy for small businesses. For more information about The Gallion Company, visit their website at http://www.thegallioncompany.com