6. Position yourself
When you have found and developed the special features of your products or services, you have created the best basis for optimum positioning on the market. The best position is where the customers have a real need and where you can also show your full strengths and qualities, so that you can act as a true expert. Don't concern yourself too much with what the competition is doing, focus especially on your own skills and ambitions – and, of course, on your customers' needs. If you have a special area, you sharpen your profile and gain an expert status that has a truly magnetic effect on customers.

7. Make yourself recommendable
Recommendation marketing is an efficient and also a very simple means of clearing the hurdle of acquiring new customers. Recommendations are everyday occurrences that everyone, including your customers, have to deal with on a regular basis: the good film recommendation from a co-worker, a recommended restaurant, or a book that everyone is talking about. You can make yourself recommendable if your relationship with your customers is good, if you are regarded as an expert, and if you provide high-quality work. If all of the above exist, recommendations come almost on their own. So, don’t hesitate to ask. And also show that you really appreciate recommendations. Here is another little hint that will stop you being shy about asking for recommendations: people not only like receiving recommendations, they also like giving recommendations to do someone a favor or perhaps to boast a little that they have a good insider tip.

8. Use the advantages of being a small business owner
Small companies have a decisive advantage in that they are much closer to the market situation than larger companies. They are the first ones to find out what is happening on the market, which trends are promising, and what is already out. They can also react to new trends very quickly. Larger companies often have problems in this regard, since they cannot respond to changes as flexibly or quickly.

9. Make sure your service is perfect
Excellent service is by no means limited to large companies. Service does not have to be expensive. Some services cost nothing, others can be adapted precisely to the specific situation in your company and the individual needs of your customers in such a way that effort and costs are kept under control. Important service factors are: friendliness, competence and high-quality services, personnel continuity and reliability, transparency, good organization, flexibility, personal commitment and a positive attitude towards the customers. Smooth and effective complaint management is also important. You can score points by showing a lot of understanding for the needs of your customers.

10. Pass the performance test in the price war
Even if the weakening economic situation does encourage real discount wars, small companies and self-employed people often have no leeway to compete in the battle for the lowest price. Therefore, you have to sell your own prices well and make the customers realize what your service is worth. In your meetings with customers, focus on the value of your service and emphasize the benefits for your customers. After all, no customer can expect you to sell anything below its value. Also highlight the added value that your customers get from you: for example, consistent on-time delivery, individual solutions, or consistently high quality.

As you see, even in difficult economic situations you can do quite a lot to control the fate of your company and show yourself and your products or services to their best advantage. Of course, these measures are also helpful for increasing the success of your business in good times. But especially when times are gloomy it is important to take the initiative and become active so that your business runs on its own.

Source
Stéphane Etrillard, Düsseldorf
secs Management Institute
Phone: +49 (0211) 7 57 07 40
Fax: +49 (0211) 75 00 53
Web: www.etrillard.com
E-Mail: info@etrillard.com