Alliances: A Key To Turbo Charging Sales

As erratic business cycles continue to dominate headlines, it will almost certainly be the most creative (and determined) among us who emerge victorious when the dust settles.

One of the factors that is different about this current downturn is that the amount of marketing communications activities is explosively increasing, often leading to a corresponding expansion in stress, lead time, and costs. "Basically everything increases," said Romek Jansen co-author of Marketing Resource Management, "except the budget. This means more control over the available marketing knowledge, systems, materials, and budgets is required."

There's a difference between "doing the right things and doing things right," noted Jansen. "Good ideas need to be properly managed if they are to become marketing successes. An improved execution of marketing activities may be required to save budget on content creation, so the savings can be used in a loyalty program."

Your Inner Circle

A greater emphasis on developing more efficient business relationships, which means more than "working your Rolodex" can help lead one out of the abyss. When approaching a new client/prospect, the first few meetings should be about understanding the client's business and relevant concerns. Should you feel compelled to refer a professional who may be able to help this prospect, such as a graphic designer, the referral should be to a trusted member of your "inner circle."

"Online business networking transcends the normal issues of time, distance, and space giving people access to new possibilities."

There are several reasons for this. The first is that you must operate from a position of trust when making a referral as the objective is to grow your business. This means that the referral must understand this interaction is to help your business as well. The second is that in the prospect's mind, you will forever be associated with whomever you refer. Therefore, that person must be a first-rate pro in every sense of the word because should something go wrong it's your reputation that's going to be marked. It's good strategy to accompany any referrals to the first client meeting. Your presence around the table with the client and each involved party shows you are actively involved and concerned in the future outcome.

Going Online

Don't only view the Internet as a business-destroying foe. The idea of "online networking" is growing and is an equal-opportunity creator. Like nearly everything else in our society, an online version of networking is taking shape. "Traditional networking will continue to exist however, with the Internet, the pool of resources available for that initial connection has grown exponentially," noted Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI (Business Network International), an online business networking forum and co-author of Masters of Networking.

"So many things have changed in our world over the last couple of years including the way business people think, behave and want to do business. Online business networking combines the old and new to create a means for connections to happen that literally would not have been possible without on-line accessibility. Online business networking transcends the normal issues of time, distance, and space giving people access to new possibilities."

Create a Paper Trail

"Communicate your value proposition in every way you can," said Mark Stevens, author of Your Marketing Sucks. "Once the value proposition is developed, you then create messages that are sent to the prospective customers/clients through direct mail, e-mail, advertising or public relations—or most powerfully, through a combination of these components simultaneously unleashed."

Even in the face of a 24/7 Internet-hungry world, one of the oldest forms of a still thriving marketing communication remains direct mail. Why? Because it can still work.