Strategically Position Your Shop to Be Above the Clutter

[GalleriaLinda]

In the first week in January 2009 I heard of friends being laid off of their jobs or salaries cut. When times are tough, the tough get going. Are you tough?

Many of our customers are spending less, eliminating luxury items from their purchases, are still anxious about their job security, and are facing losses in retirement programs.

Although the US and global economies have loosened up a bit at this writing (mid-2009), people are still frugral and holding onto their money for necessities. How does this play with your product?

You are in control of your own universe. Make choices everyday focusing on those things that you can control and not those things that you cannot control.

Look for a list of specific ideas on how to support this strategic direction here in the iCraft Marketing forum:
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I work with a large real estate land office and you can only guess the challenges here in the US real estate market - it has hit bottom. I appreciate so much the real estate broker I work with, as he is a staunch supporter of the marketing effort.

His mantra is not to cut spending but to rev up marketing efforts in this sluggish market in order to be seen above the clutter. He will have the company well positioned at the time the economy improves and will win business in the meantime by being responsive to clients and their situations.

Realize that it is time for different business strategies.

Rigid business practices will not work anymore. Nimble business practices will win the business of 2009.

What can your Indie Business do to review, rethink, and retool?

**Position your company to be above the clutter
**Position your products to be needed - take them from an impulse buy to a need buy
**Position you, as the Indie CEO of your own company, to be helpful, flexible, understanding, and supportive of your customers and their situations[/list]iCraft's Sellers' Bootcamp will take you a long way in taking action. See bootcamp here: https://icraftgifts.com/forum/

Look for a list of specific ideas on how to support this strategic direction here in the iCraft Marketing forum:
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[Fairy Cardmaker]

His mantra is not to cut spending but to rev up marketing efforts in this sluggish market in order to be seen above the clutter.

Thanks, Linda.  This is SOUND advice.  When the markets are good, buyers are out looking for you so you are more likely to be seen/visited.  When markets are bad, buyers are FAR more CHOOSY about where they place their business.

It's not all about the bottom line either (price/cost).  Do not discount yourself in to bankruptcy.  Set price comensurate with quality.  If you are concerned people won't be able to afford your quality and you don't want to just weather it out, introduce a new, lower market line that you can price accordingly.

Selling one thing for a profit is better than selling 10 at a loss.

One thing that will REALLY help you review your product line up is today's bootcamp challenge:

What’s your propositional benefit or in other words … why should I buy your necklace instead of the other guys?

Come join us.  (I don't think it's too late to sign up under your account properties.)
https://icraftgifts.com/forum/1034/day-4-icraft-bootcamp-assignment/