Use Attraction Marketing to Recession-Proof Your Business

John F. Kennedy's statement "A rising tide lifts all boats" perfectly describes the boom years of the economy. Throughout the '00s you really didn't have to do much to have an OK business. But what about in today's receding tide? Fortunately the recession won't take all boats down with it -- only the leaky ones. Use attraction marketing to build your business, especially in tough times. Start with these three strategies.

#1 Be in touch with your clients and prospects frequently.

If you have an email list, contact people at least once a week. Don't make it just about selling. Your customers also appreciate articles, tips and useful information. Worried that too many emails will cause them to opt out? If your messages are valuable, people appreciate them -- except for those who probably were not going to buy anyway. Overall, good email communications strengthen your attraction marketing.

Postcards are also a great strategy if you have physical addresses. Mail one every 4-8 weeks. Use postcards to promote a special offer each time. Perhaps a customer appreciation sale or a personal consultation with you. Postcards can direct customers to your website where they can view a video or download a special report.

Use Facebook or Twitter, and set up a regular schedule. Start with one Facebook post and 1 Tweet a day. Getting started with social networking can be confusing. Create your accounts and just watch what your friends and those you follow do for a while. You'll soon get the hang of it. The #1 rule to follow in social networking is: don't make it about selling, make it about relating.

Don't have a mailing list at all? Start building one. Right now. A mailing list is one of the essential assets of any small business - it's the foundation for much of your attraction marketing. Writing articles - like the one you're reading right now - is a great way to begin.

#2 - Add more value. Instead of offering the same old stuff, innovate. Look for ways to shake things up in all your services and products.

Are you a coach? Add information products and teleclasses. Do you sell a product? Complement it with coaching and training support. Are you a service business, such as a hair salon or a pet-sitter? Offer something extra like a newsletter or a tip sheet. Look for small but consistent ways to stand out from the crowd. Standing out in a positive way makes your business extremely attractive to customers in any economy.

Also look for ways to leverage relationships with other business owners. In the brick-and-mortar world, complementary businesses often team up. For example, your wine shop might offer tastings with cheese and crackers from the gourmet store down the block. My life partner's art print and poster store sells framing and has the work done by a framer in another part of town.

Leverage works for online businesses too. My audio set on Law of Attraction Marketing was created from interviews with other attraction marketing experts. After I did 6 interviews I suddenly had a product. Both I and those I interviewed marketed the product to our mailing lists - that's the power of leverage. Who could you interview to create a collection of valuable interviews for your customers?

#3 - Use your personality when you promote! Luckily for us small business owners, we aren't required to act distant, like the typical large corporation. Thank goodness! It's possible to be quirky (but business-like) - and it's a lot of fun. Open up and tell your customers that you spend weekends riding your Honda Gold Wing. Talk about your favorite charity, the local animal shelter. Or express your enthusiasm for restoring antique furniture. It's great to write about your vacation, your parakeet, your hometown, your kids.

In all of your promotions express your passion for the business you created and let people know why you're in business. Develop a compelling story that you tell often -- stories have the power to draw customers in. When times are tough, people want to do business with people they know. Express who you are.

Tips: 1) Avoid sharing your views on politics, religion or other potentially controversial areas. 2) Be friendly but also be careful about giving our personal details. 3) Think of personality as a side dish - the main course is always your business, and that's where to keep the attention of your customers.

About the Author

Here's how to take the next step in attraction marketing for small business success Get your free copy of Andrea Conway's special report Secrets of Attracting Prosperity in Hard Times