Recession-Busting Small Business (inexpensive) Marketing Tips

By Anthony Mora

Synopsis: A struggling economy offers those that move forward a greater opportunity to reach their market, precisely because their competitors are hiding their heads in the sand. Studies have shown that those that do market in a recession are those that prosper and position their businesses to thrive during the eventual turn-around.


During a recession or business downturn, many small businesses cut down their marketing and customer outreach at the very time they need to be proactive. A struggling economy offers those that move forward a greater opportunity to reach their target market, precisely because their competitors and hiding their heads in the sand. Studies have shown that those that do market in a recession are those that prosper. But, what can a cash-strapped small business owner do? Actually, quite a bit.

You want to get out there with a searchlight during this type of financial storm. If you cut your marketing, both your brand and your sales will suffer. I know it can be difficult, but during these times, you need to market to set your business on course not only to weather the recession, but to prosper when the turn-around comes.

The following are four small business, inexpensive marketing tips:

1) Remember the power and the impact that traditional PR and media can have. It is less expensive than advertising and is the only marketing tool that validates, offers credibility and reaches one's target market. If your unable to hire a firm to launch your campaign for you, or a consultant to help guide you, do your homework, develop your stories, write a one-page press release, create a targeted media list and start contacting the media and pitching your various angles. Remember to keep the media in mind when doing your pitches. Pitch towards their needs.

2) Learn how to combine social media and PR, you can turn a local media story into a national story by utilizing the net and social media and conversely you can start a media buzz, turn that buzz into a traditional PR story and use that to gain media coverage. The trick is to study the social media sites that work best for you and make it a targeted, as opposed to scatter-gun approach.

3) Don't get lost in all of the hype around social media and think that you have to become a media maven or that you have to know how to utilize every site from Face book to LinkedIn to Twitter Stumbleupon, Digg plus create a blog, link to other blogs and websites, keep track of your web analytics, referring domains and review your traffic movements. It's easy to get lost in this and soon you might discover that you're spending all of your time marketing, as opposed to running your business.

4) Think out of the box and see how you can repurpose your product or service. Are there different markets that you can cultivate? Are there different ways you can present your product or service? If so, this can offer you a larger bull’s-eye, a bigger target market to approach to gain a larger market share.

Use the power of creative PR and marketing now and not only will you make it through the rough times, you’ll position yourself and your business to thrive during the eventual turn-around.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009

How-to Prepare for a Media Interview

By: Anthony Mora

Synopsis: Although public relations usually takes some time, there are those instances that a press release immediately hits the jackpot. For example you could email a press release at 9 a.m. and be doing a live TV interview at noon that same day. You have to prepare, to be ready when the media does call

When launching a media relations campaign, it’s easy to get so lost in pitching the media, that you forget you also need to prepare, to be ready when the media does call. And you need to be prepared for different types of interviews, from print, to radio, to TV. Keep in mind that interview calls often come when the media is on a deadline and needs an interview – now! In those situations, you need to be ready to move in a flash, you have to be prepared and ready to go.

Although media relations usually takes some time, there are those instances that a press release immediately hits the jackpot. For example you could email a press release at 9 a.m. and be doing a live TV interview at noon that same day. You have to be ready. Remember; don't unleash the power of the media until you're prepared to control it. Public relations can be tricky because you have to be both patient and prepared. If you're not prepared to do an interview, it could turn out to be a dismal experience. You can end up feeling depressed and embarrassed, the media will feel cheated, and you will have wasted an incredible opportunity.

So how do you prepare for a media interview? Review the image you want to convey - small town and friendly, authoritative, professional, humorous, artistic, formal and business-like, etc. Know the image you want to convey. Make sure that your image matches your personality. If you are basically shy and retiring, don't try to come off like a rock star. That’s not going to work. You may have to learn to project more and become a bit more forceful with your responses, but those are simply tools you learn to utilize when needed. Keep your voice modulated. Be dynamic, but not frenzied. Your mission here is not to alter your personality, but to enhance it. Do practice interviews. If you can hire a media trainer, great. If not practice with a friend, or in front of a mirror. Have both your information and your delivery ready to go. That way, when the media does respond, you'll be ready.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2009