Challenging Times Call for Renewed Approaches

Author: Lori Highby

If business is slow, as most businesses are these days, what are you doing to bring business back up to speed? I can tell you what I’m doing. Contacting everyone I know! Your most important connections are the ones you already have.

Here are some easy ways to help boost sluggish business:

1.Reach Out to Your Business Contacts

Sift through your business card collection and find a viable reason to periodically contact those connections and keep your name in front of them. Regardless if the intention is to do business with them or not, Joe Smith may very well know someone who needs your services. Your viable reason could simply be grabbing a cup of coffee and catching up.

2.Write a Press Release

Google your own company’s name. Yes, SEO is important, but that’s not the reason for this post. Besides your own website, what else is showing up? News articles? Blog posts? Comments on forums? Is the information positive or negative? Writing and submitting press releases is a simple way to get additional exposure online and in the search engines. Whether you submit the press release electronically or by snail mail, most publications will still add the release to their website. Fresh content is usually displayed above old content. If the information you find about your company is negative, writing a press release can push the negative content further into the search results – making it less likely your audience will see it when searching for your company.

3. Network

Get out their and network. Start creating new connections by attending a new organization. Step outside of your comfort zone and try a new organization. New networking groups are popping up left and right, each with its own unique approach to connecting individuals. Try something new. More importantly, find one you like and get involved in the organization. Recently, I have heard some excellent approaches to staying in the forefront during these challenging economic times. Not only am I receiving some good ideas, but I am sharing ideas with my connections. And even more important, connecting my connections with others.

4. Pay it Forward

Paying it forward is not only a nice thing to do for others, but you may end up getting rewarded in the end. Here is a recent post on how Paying it forward can benefit your business. Some of my inspiration for this post came from Kate Kotecki, an independent writing and editing professional,and Christina Steder, a marketing and public relations professional These approaches represent everything except innovation. They are common rules to successful business practice; nonetheless it doesn’t hurt to be kindly reminded of the rules occasionally.