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A common knee-jerk reaction to tough economic times and slow sales during a recession is to cut advertising, marketing and promotional budgets. This is the absolute wrong thing to do and the worst time to do it.

Smart business people will either maintain or even increase their advertising budgets and step up their promotional and marketing efforts since now is precisely the time when you can shine. With so many others cutting back, your message stands a better chance of being noticed. Make sure you play up how you can save people money or solve a problem for them and you'll find customers flocking to you.

People are still spending money; they're just being a lot more careful with how they do it. The standard practices of throwing it out there and waiting for people to buy will not work right now. You have to really customize your message to show people the value you provide. That doesn't necessarily mean the lowest price, but it had better include some service extras or some other incentive that differentiates you from the competition.

Things that frugal shoppers are looking for right now include free shipping and other little extras that make what you have to offer seem like a better deal than your competitor.

Remember, don't slash those advertising budgets just because times are tough. Get creative and really focus on the message you are sending to potential customers.

Need help? Coffman Communications would be happy to tailor a strategy specifically for your business.

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Online business networking works if done properly. However, the effects of sloppy or improperly executed online business networking can be devastating. There are several ways to make sure your online business networking efforts are a hit instead of a miss. By following a few simple tips, you can be well on your way to making valuable contacts and forming beneficial, lasting relationships.

Spam Sucks

Nobody likes spam and that includes those involved in business networking. They are actually more likely to be sensitive to any appearance of spam or blatant advertising than the average internet user because they face a constant barrage of not-so-cleverly disguised advertising and marketing messages. Do not use any online business networking platform as an advertising venue. You are there to develop relationships, not sell products or services.

Add Some Value

When using online networking resources such as social networks, forums, etc., remember that you are judged first and foremost by what you bring to the table. Make sure you contribute relevant, useful information and resources the other users will be interested in. If you must, think of it as selling your expertise in a given area. You have the opportunity to brand yourself in a way as an expert in your field. Just remember the first rule of online business networking and avoid even the appearance of spam at all costs.

Do Your Homework

Before jumping right in and making posts and comments, research the climate of the particular business networking venue. Read what types of things others are posting. Ask some questions of more experienced users. Get to know a little about what the community is most interested in or you run the risk of sticking out like a sore thumb instead of making a positive impression. Remember that each and every post or comment you make may be the first and only thing that others see. Instead of having to make one positive first impression, the pressure is on to make a positive first impression with everything you do in the community.

Remember the Real World

Remember that you have available resources in the real world. Ask colleagues and friends what specific online business networking activities they pursue and have had the best luck with. Also, keep in mind that your online communication and interaction is every bit as real as face to face communication. Treat those online with the same courtesy and respect you would give them if you were having a meeting with them in your office.

Don't Overdo It

Don't spread yourself too thin by joining every online business networking site or community you can find. Choose several that truly interest you and make yourself a regular contributor. Keep up with your contacts and cultivate relationships. You simply can't do this with hundreds of people at a time. Keep it simple, start small and expand your networking activities as you have time to do so. Just as you must keep your website up to date, so must you continue to contribute fresh, useful information to the online business networking communities to which you belong.

By keeping these few guidelines in mind when you set out to conquer the world of online business networking, you will find that you make new friends and even some very valuable business contacts. You'll be amazed at how much support and camaraderie exists in some online communities. Just make sure you go about it the right way.

The answer is yes, whether you sell products online or not. If you own a business of any kind, it is vital that you have a presence on the internet. Even service businesses that do not directly sell products online should have a professional looking website that tells visitors who you are and what you have to offer.

Having a website these days is as important as having your phone number listed in the yellow pages used to be since most people start searching for products and services online before they look anywhere else. If you're not available for them to find, you're missing out on tons of potential business.

If the time involved or the potential expense of creating and maintaining a website has stopped you from developing one for your business, you now have a very affordable option that includes free website hosting. Coffman Communications offers professional website design services that give you a presence on the web without breaking your budget. Visit the website to see examples of sites created and maintained by Coffman Communications and see how easy and affordable it is to have us do the same for you.

Happy Promoting!

Pizza delivery is a shining example of how internet ordering is taking the place of human interaction. Where we used to pick up the phone and call the local pizzeria, we can now click a link online and have a pizza delivered hot and fresh right to our door. We can even quickly and easily compare specials offered by various vendors.

So, does your business offer online ordering? If not, you're missing out on this major and growing trend. If you offer delivery or even shipping of your product, you need to make sure you make it easy for your customers and potential customers to find you on the internet and point and click their way to buying what you have to sell.

At the same time, if you haven't made your product or service available for order on the internet, now is the time to do so. It is now easier than ever to set up online shopping and ordering, so there's really no excuse not to do it.

As an example, check out the new feature on the Coffman Communications website that allows visitors to place an order for a specific service and pay easily using PayPal or credit card.

Times are tougher economically than they have been in a very very long time. Instead of stopping your advertising and promotional efforts, you need to be doing as much as you can to stay visible. The difference now is that you must tailor your message to what people are most interested in at the moment--how you can help them.

If your product or service can save people money in any way or make their life easier, this is the time to emphasize that message and really show them how. People are looking to save money now and in the long-run because the economy is so uncertain.

Can you teach people ways to save money? That's even better. Use your expertise to give out money saving tips. These are things that people need right now. They need to know how they can maintain their lifestyle while still cutting corners.

If you can show people how your product or service can help them right now, you will surely attract new customers and build loyalty for your brand. This is not the time to remain silent as far as advertising, marketing and promotional efforts go. This is the time to be loud and proud about what you can do to help!

Happy Promoting!

Just how important is a logo? It's vital. Any business, no matter how large or small, should invest in the creation of a good logo. This accomplishes many things, among them creating a "brand" image for your business.

Creating a brand image for your business is important because it is an important part of differentiation, making what you have to offer stand out from the crowd. It makes you memorable and causes potential customers to turn to you when they have need for your particular product or service. It is a visual representation and reminder of who you are as a business and what you stand for.

A properly done logo also gives your business professionalism and credibility. We are much more likely to take a piece of printed material seriously if it includes a company logo of some sort. If it's a good logo, it will make us want to learn more about the company it represents.

A new business should develop and have a logo in place before they begin any sort of communication with customers and potential customers whatsoever. This will show immediately that, even though they haven't heard of you, you're not somebody working of their basement at home. Even if you are a sole proprietor working out of your business at home, you don't want to convey that image. You want to convey a professional, reliable image.

Once you've spent the time and or money to either develop or have a logo developed for you, make sure it appears anywhere and everywhere it can. It should be included on every piece of printed material you generate including not only the obvious like business cards and sales literature, but also on often overlooked items like envelopes and letterhead, invoices and anything else that anyone will see. This includes the Web. It should be on every page of your website. It should be added as a signature in your email. Never waste an opportunity to show who you are.

If you need a logo designed for your business, Coffman Communications can help. We offer a full service logo design package for a flat fee of $40.00. What are you waiting for? Step up and start branding yourself today.