Recession? Look Around.
Is recession affecting your business?
Finding the answer is simple… look around.
What do you see?
Here’s the thing. If you are in the widget business and you’re selling widgets is recession affecting you? Nope. There is a great deal of psychology that goes with market movements. If so-and-so is selling, I should sell… there goes the market. Reality is many times different than what the media is serving up. Granted the housing market is adjusting and it is worse in some areas than in others. Gas prices are up… that hasn’t stopped customers of my Porsche repair facility… many pay over $6 a gallon for race fuel to play on the weekends. So do I.
When I look in the parking lot there are still broken cars that need repair. When I look around the area I see shops going under and closing their doors. It doesn’t make sense. With new car sales down, people are driving their older cars which tend to break more often so one would assume that there would be more business than ever, so why are shops closing?
If you are here, reading because you want a magic bullet for making more money, you’ve come to the wrong place. The deal is this, be pro-active and change your attitude. The best thing you can do to increase your business sales is to get in contact with your existing customers. They know you, they trust you. It does not depend upon the type of business you are in, put together a one-page flyer and mail it out, make sure there is a time sensitive offer, get them in the door. Send out a card, send out a newsletter. Somehow, get in front of them. You don’t need an excuse to send something out. Last year I sent out a clear ziploc bag with a picture of my dog wearing a St. Patrick’s day hat, I added a button with a similar dog from Cafe Press. The insert told them to come down to the shop with their button to show us their green and they’d get a $30 discount. The response…. 50%. Really. Was is corny… absolutely. Customers loved it!! They showed up wearing the buttons. 95% of my customers are men.
Why does corny work? Because it brings out smiles and everyone needs that right now.
Best wishes for a profitable day!
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