Round 1:

Would you like to advertise with us again?

I’ll have to think about it, cash is tight. Maybe next time.

Round 2:

You said you’d think about advertising with us - any conclusions?

I just don’t have the money right now.

Round 3:

Would you like an ad at a discount?

I can’t give anyone money! At all! Goodbye!

–

I’ve been talking to a lot of small business owners recently and they’re feeling that it’s like this - they have no money to spend and they have to battle the ad sellers coming to their door to try and win money.

It shouldn’t be like this.

Sure, money’s tight. It’s tight for everyone. But pushing people away does no good for either of you - it’s been shown that the companies who continue to advertise and have their name out in a recession are the first to recover.

Publications selling ad space will also collapse without support - if you want to advertise ‘next time’ there might not be a ‘next time’. Supporting them now, if you can, will be leverage to ask for a discount in the future.

Some are resorting to barter, which can create a win-win situation. You get an ad, they get discounts at your business as part or full payment.

Of course, it does depend on their sales staff…and how pushy they are to try and make a sale.

So here’s some ad tips…

1. If you have the money to advertise, make sure you’re being strategic. What’s your aim in advertising? Where can you best reach your customers?
2. Preserve relationships. Recession or no, cash or no…business has to involve other people.
3. In that vein, make your services the best you can without spending more - friendly service, a handwritten note with purchases…it’s all in the little touches.

I’m very happy to be participating in a virtual book tour by publishing today’s guest post on Brandcurve written by Robin Jay the author of The Art of the Business Lunch, Building Relationships Between 12 and 2.  In her book, Robin teaches readers how to make the most of each business lunch and leverage the opportunities business lunches provide.  Without further ado, following is Robin’s story in her own words.

It was never my dream to build my brand as “The Queen of the Business Lunch,” but it came about as I wrote my first book and was looking for a way to distinguish myself as a business relationship expert in my marketing materials. My book is titled “The Art of the Business Lunch ~ Building Relationships Between 12 and 2” (Career Press), and it’s now in ten languages worldwide. In the book, I share tips and techniques for building profitable business relationships by introducing a social aspect into those relationships, as well as how to navigate networking luncheons and even how to ace a job interview luncheon. It’s the culmination of what I learned during nearly twenty years of taking clients to lunch and catering to them, making them feel special, and helping them to do their jobs more effectively. My clients started calling me the queen of the business lunch when they called me to book a lunch only to find that I was already booked three weeks out. Do we ever really get to choose our nicknames? Read more

Whether you’re promoting your company or product brand or your personal brand, your people skills can directly affect your communications.  I came across a people skills quiz at ManageSmarter.com that is directed toward sales professionals but is applicable to anyone trying to present a brand image. 

The quiz was written by John Boe, a sales trainer and motivational speaker.  Mr. Boe notes that salespeople must constantly monitor their own body language as well as the body language of their customers and adjust their communications as necessary, which will lead to more closed sales.  Again, I think this message applies to anyone who is “living” a brand. 

Some of the body language interpretations included in the quiz teach us the following: Read more