Free advice from marketing expert Mary Shallies

 

 

Shallies says that even when economic times are tough, you should keep advertising your business.

W hen the economy slows and money is tight, many business owners take an ax to their marketing budgets. But it’s a mistake to stop marketing your company in a bad economy, says Mary Shallies, a member of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs Noon, Fla., USA. Shallies is president of AdSource, a full-service advertising agency. “Now more than ever,” she says, “maintaining some kind of presence is crucial.”

The Rotarian: Why is marketing during an economic slowdown so important?
Mary Shallies: You want your target customer to be aware of you when they’re in the buying process. If you disappear from the radar, there’s no way for them to find your business or to think of you – it’s as simple as that. Commerce is still being done. There may not be as much potential business as a few years ago, but it’s still out there for those who make themselves available.

TR: What low-cost marketing techniques can Rotarians employ?
Shallies: E-mail marketing can be cost efficient. If you’re going to build a database, people need to opt in – you don’t want to spam – and you need to send something that is relevant to them. And add a blog to your Web site. It takes time and a commitment, but it’s an inexpensive way to market your business.
Say thank you to your existing customers. Call each of your top 10 customers for no other reason. Six months from now, send them an e-mail, and remind them how much you appreciate their business. Make them a special offer that only they are getting.

TR: Why is it important to dedicate marketing efforts to current customers?
Shallies: They know you, they love you and your product or service, and it’s a lot easier to keep existing business than to get new business. And it costs a lot less. Another benefit is they refer business to you.

TR: Can businesses find deals now when buying media?
Shallies: Absolutely. There are a lot of great media buys out there. I think you can get three times for your dollar what you were getting three years ago.

TR: Should companies stick with the messages they communicated about themselves in better times?
Shallies:You always have to adapt to changing market conditions. Your core marketing message has to remain, but you have to speak to what’s important to your customers.

Five ways to use your Rotary ties as a marketing tool

You didn’t join your club solely to market your business, but the benefits of Rotary’s networking opportunities are legendary. Here are five ways to make the most of your membership:

• Take advantage of referrals. Joseph Harris, a member of the Rotary Club of Wilmington West, Del., USA, says Rotarian recommendations have helped his business, WH2P Marketing Communications, in Greenville.
• Offer to give a vocation-related presentation at other Rotary clubs. “Health, finance, accounting, law, marketing, human resources – anything that people could use outside of Rotary is a perfect topic to bring to Rotary meetings,” says Paul McAfee, a member of the Rotary Club of Amherst East, N.Y., and founder and CEO of the marketing firm eXubrio Group in Williamsville.
• Connect with other Rotarians online. Harris recommends using social networking sites such as Facebook. “Very easily and very quickly, every member could have over 1,000 new network contacts,” he says.
• Carve out time at club meetings for members to describe their companies. At each meeting of the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs Noon, Fla., one Rotarian gives a two-minute presentation about his or her business, says club member Mary Shallies.
• Volunteer for club projects that highlight your expertise. Over the past three years, Shallies has brought in more than $140,000 in free advertising for her club’s biggest fundraiser, Taste of Bonita. “That shows other members that I have very strong media relationships,” she says, “and it reflects on the success of my business.”