This document outlines strategies for marketing products during difficult economic times. It discusses holding a monthly virtual networking meeting called theExchange. The bulk of the document provides six strategic recommendations for effective marketing: 1) Focus on existing customers who make up 20% of sales. 2) Local marketing can be as effective as national campaigns with less cost. 3) Leverage existing media to reinforce messaging. 4) Ensure the product delivers to build loyalty and avoid bad press. 5) Follow-up with customers for feedback. 6) Apply the other strategies, like focusing on top users, to social media marketing. The overall message is to focus marketing efforts on the core product rather than diversifying during an economic downturn.

1. A FREE monthly virtual meeting place where networking has structure.
You decide when to plug in.
IT’S ALL OUT THERE - NOW WHAT?
PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR MARKETING
YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
PRESENTED BY BIG FISH CREATIONS
Michael Clawson
Creative Designer
Social Media Strategist
Patty Clawson
Brand Strategist
Big Fish Creations graeagle.com./bigfish
(530) 836-4230
SmartBrand smartbrand.biz
1
(775) 771-7004

2. A FREE monthly virtual meeting place where networking has structure.
You decide when to plug in.
The SmartBrand Team
Larry DeVincenzi | brand marketing strategist Michael Clawson | creative designer, social media strategist
Creative strategist focused on developing and Designer and advertising expert for over 12 years, branding
implementing unique brand campaigns. Based in large and small businesses across multiple media. Specialties
northern Nevada. include social media branding, identity, campaign management,
blog | twitter | facebook | linkedin | plaxo | friendfeed tracking, web presence, design, and image building.
website | twitter | linkedin | facebook
Tara Pierce | green business consultant Cindy Godzisz | green business consultant
High energy leader committed to achieving goals through For over 10 years, Cindy has been bringing creative exposure to
multi-task organization, creativity, and resourcefulness. her marketing partners. Cindy's work has expanded to create
Based in southern Nevada. marketing programs nationwide that are impactful and exciting,
linkedin | facebook with quality programs and fun events.
website | twitter | linkedin | facebook | blog
Mike Van Houten | interactive media designer Patty Clawson | copywriter, strategist
JM Studio designs sites with a user-centered approach. It Beyond her amazing talents developing targeted copy and
is a philosophy that places the person, your web visitor, concepts, Patty is full of ideas for marketing and branding
at the center of your web experience. adaptability.
website | twitter | facebook | blog website | twitter | linkedin | facebook
Alice Heiman | sales consultant Colin Stoddard | designer
Alice delivers results by using her unique combination of Colin is an enthusiastic, seasoned, professional designer with a
experience in sales, sales management, marketing, background in art direction, print, and web design -- one who
process implementation and facilitation to provide the excels in managing projects from concept to completion.
strategy and tactics for companies to increase their sales. website | linkedin
website | twitter | linkedin | facebook | blog
2

3. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
So you’ve built the website. Printed brochures. Created a Facebook
and Twitter page posted the blog, sent the press release, spent your
entire budget and still nothing.
Well of course, what did you expect? That’s the easy part - the real
work has yet to begin. So don’t think that once you have put these
marketing and advertising messages out into the public stream that
your job is done. And this especially holds true in sorry economic
times.
So how does one maximize the results of their product all under the
constraints of an economic downturn?
3

4. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
4

5. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #1
The 80/20 Rule
4

6. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #1
The 80/20 Rule
80 percent of your sales come from 20 percent of your clients
• Market to your existing client base with referral marketing strategies
• Special offers
• Customer appreciation
• Preview sale/offer before general public
• Coupons
4

7. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
5

8. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #2
The Myth of the Big Budget
5

9. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #2
The Myth of the Big Budget
Bigger isn’t always better
• National reach of your product may be expensive
Solution: saturate local market instead
• Select a geographically limited (focus) area for your target market
• Test the focus area and determine if you need to expand it
• Like the ripple effect of a pebble thrown into a pond, slowly expand
your target areas with outreach followed by feedback and results
5

10. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
6

11. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #3
Put strategy in its place
6

12. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #3
Put strategy in its place
Utilize the media you may already have
• Review your existing media and use ‘synergy’ to leverage impact
• ONE message reinforced by three different forms of communication
• Focus on ONE offer at a time and create a campaign
• This will reinforce your message, create content, and allow for
greater exposure to your target audience
6

13. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
7

14. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #4
You better deliver
7

15. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #4
You better deliver
Make sure your product is ‘ALL THAT’
• Nothing kills a bad product faster than good advertising
• People remember the ‘bad’ experience over the ‘good’ one
• New mediums (social media) can multiply this effect
• A poor performing product can go ‘viral’ in this environment
• Crisis management may become nuclear in social media
• Oversight and customer feedback minimizes this effect
7

16. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
8

17. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #5
Follow-up
8

18. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #5
Follow-up
Make sure your client is happy
• Simple question to ask your client: Are you happy with my product?
• Use client feedback to better your product
• Use client feedback to right a wrong
• Use client feedback to sell additional services
• Apply this approach to public relations by following up on all
communications or personal interaction with your client
8

19. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
9

20. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #6
Social Media
9

21. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
Strategic Peg #6
Social Media
Social Media is a Cake Walk when previous strategies are applied
• Your friends/fans/followers are your clients - apply 80/20 rule to them
• Social media is budget friendly - yields national coverage
Best of both worlds
• One message can be simultaneously fed through multiple channels
• Make sure you deliver on your promises - promotions, contests, etc.
• Social media channels are your VIRTUAL store - listen to feedback,
answer questions, solve problems, recommend solutions
9

22. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
10

23. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
HIT!
Play the game with the right strategy
10

24. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
HIT!
Play the game with the right strategy
Put the focus back in your product
• Make sure your product is thriving before jumping off into another
venture
• Don’t be hasty, especially during an economic downturn because it will
only dilute your efforts and weaken your existing product
• You can’t afford to open up market share to your competitors
10

25. PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
FOR MARKETING YOUR PRODUCT IN A SORRY ECONOMY.
HIT!
Play the game with the right strategy
Put the focus back in your product
• Make sure your product is thriving before jumping off into another
venture
• Don’t be hasty, especially during an economic downturn because it will
only dilute your efforts and weaken your existing product
• You can’t afford to open up market share to your competitors
And the take away?
Are you spending as much time ON your business as you are IN it?
10

26. A FREE monthly virtual meeting place where networking has structure.
You decide when to plug in.
Thank you for attending theExchange.
To sign up for our next online meeting,
or if you have additional questions,
please contact us at theexchange@smartbrand.biz
11