Seven Questions To Ask Yourself If You Want To Create More Business In The Recession

Are we still in a recession?  People seem to argue all sorts of facts, figures and predictions, but the news is still bleak and the outlook for the short term can still be sketchy.  There are still too few jobs for those who want to work.  If you look closely in our communities there are people still struggling.  The stock market had another bumpy week.  Three years after the banking crisis there is still uncertainty.  Stimulus or not, times are tough.

But times are always tough.  Even with all the negative news there is business being done.  In good times and bad there are transactions. While it is true that we have been navigating tough times, there is sales happening.  There is always opportunity.  Everyday I talk to my customers and potential clients and they are all seeking to find success.  Each week I see companies celebrating milestones. 

If your organization is looking to create more business you have to accept that the economy has changed.  The way we do business is different, and it will not be the same even when the boom-boom times come back (my 96-year-old father says that every economic bust over the last 100 years has been followed by a boom.  Good times will arrive).

Here are seven questions to ask yourself (if you have read this far down this blog post):

1.  Are you are still conducting your sales, marketing, advertising, networking, PR, branding, personal branding, customer relations, business development, and other visibility activities in the way you did five years ago? 

2.  Has your company had regular meetings to assess how the changing world is impacting your business?

3.  Have you made sure that the LinkedIn profiles of all your executives are robust and coordinated?  Are the profiles place-holders or robust calling cards to your business community? (this goes for the rest of your social media tools, too).

4.  Does your team hide behind electronic communications or are they the in-person leaders of your industry?

5.  Is the recession an acceptable excuse for low performance?

6.  Do the leaders in your company lead by example?

7.  Are you talking to your clients and prospects about their biggest challenges or just trying to sell them your solutions?

Now is the time to reinvent your company and yourself.  If you wait until the boom-times arrive then you might be giving a head start to your competition.  Besides, "waiting" is a poor strategy.  Invest the time and money now to improve yourself, as there is no better time to harness the power of momentum than when others are at rest.  There is business out there, go an find the best ways to do it.

Have A Great Day.

thom singer