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10 Marketing tips must do’s when business is slow

By Rita Okoye
26 March 2016   |   4:03 am
There are seasons when business may be slow but this is not the time to do nothing or shy away from winning customers. This is the time to remain visible and relevant. Here are few tried and tested marketing tips.
rita-okoye

Rita Okoye

There are seasons when business may be slow but this is not the time to do nothing or shy away from winning customers. This is the time to remain visible and relevant. Here are few tried and tested marketing tips.

1. Write an article for the media
Journalists are always looking for a good story. Look for an angle to write about that will interest, inspire and impact your community. Research and look for a contact and send your article with your contact details.

2. Ask family and friends for referrals
Consumers trust their family and friends over all forms of advertising. Ask them to refer you to their contacts. Imagine if you asked 10 of your close family and friends to refer you to 5 of their contacts. That’s 50 new potential contacts to do business with. Just ask.

3. Redesign your marketing materials
This could be a season to view all your marketing materials. Review your company brochures, flyers, website, and business card and make sure they reflect your brand identity. Make sure there is consistency throughout all your communication.

4. Read up on your industry
There is probably a lot going on in your industry and in your busy season you were not able to catch up. Invest in books and magazines that will enlighten you on industry trends and what’s buzzing at the moment.

5. Attend free networking events
During the quiet season why not look at events listings for free events in your area. There is always networking events. Find one that suits your company’s vision and try and attend at least one a month. There is power in networking and you may meet a potential client.

6. Give away free samples or tasters
When business is slow, offer free samples or tasters of your product or service. Now that it’s coming to midyear why not plan a strategy for May where you give away free items. Customers may buy your product or service during the year.

7. Send specials promotions to your email database
Write a newsletter to your database. Send tips on how to do things or give them valuable information. Offer an irresistible offer for a period of time.

8. Write a book
There is never enough time to write a book when business is booming. The slow period may be the best time to write that book. Start by writing a chapter a day and before you know it, you would have written your book.

9. Look for collaborations
There are benefits to collaborations. Look for other companies that share the same values and are not your direct competition. Maybe you can both run a seminar together and provide different skills.

10. Learn a new skill
During a slow period, why not learn a new skill. There are many news skills you can discover. Digital marketing is one of them. Small to medium size businesses need to understand Digital marketing as a way to grow a business.
Rita Okoye is a marketing consultant/events & publicity planner.

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