Marketing & Business Strategies

All business owners are concerned about riding out the economic ups and downs these days. Many feel as though they should hunker down—as in, cut marketing expenses—but that’s a mistake. Your best bet is actually to increase branding and promotional efforts during tough times.To be honest, most companies that decide to limit their promotional budgets during downturns in the economy ...

There’s a saying in the business world: Customer acquisition is an investment, but profitability is built on customer retention. And with the economy in its current state, it’s more important than ever to keep the customers you have.When we surveyed our user base of engineering, technical, manufacturing and industrial marketers at the beginning of this year, 13 percent indicated that ...

Word-of-mouth is something small businesses have relied on for years. If someone has a great experience with your business, he or she is apt to tell family and friends—and if they become customers, that’s great for you. Of course, the reverse is also true—people are inclined to share poor experiences with those they know, which can cause you to lose ...

There’s no such thing as bad press, right? That’s never been more true, according to a recent article from CNNMoney.com, "Even Bad Reviews Boost Sales."Even products and services that receive poor reviews online can see a jump in sales. Why? Because consumers search for user reviews when in the market for an item, and have even ranked reviews as the ...

Even the most seasoned of sales professionals make mistakes. However, these mistakes result in a lost sale, a lost lifetime customer. Here are three common sales mistakes from the Open Small Business Forum, and how to prevent your staff or yourself from killing the deal.1. Don’t rely on referrals. Being referred by a satisfied customer or partnering with similar companies ...