In the current financial climate...

galahad · 2nd September 2008, 12:30 PM

As we appear to be shortly entering a recession and the outlook is looking grimmer by the week, I was just wondering what everyone else is doing to drum up new business in these difficult times.

For the last 12 months or so we've largely been using word of mouth and a few chosen associates for getting new clients, but with costs of living rising (cost of everything rising in fact) we need to find new ways of getting new business, without necessarily forking out for advertising.

Anyone else found themselves in this situation recently? Has anyone figured some innovative ideas for expanding their web development business, particularly in the light of the recent economic uncertainties?

Terra · 2nd September 2008, 01:04 PM

well - internet is still a growing market so whether the recession applies is debatable. Also during recessions some markets actually see growth (e.g. people having redundancy pay outs & starting up their own businesses).

At school my teacher defined recession as a necessary "detox" for the economy - unsound businesses bite the dust, good businesses come out stronger & leaner. For me therefore the same rules as always apply - provide good value for money, be good at what you offer.

Vger · 2nd September 2008, 06:18 PM

Edith is absolutely correct about some markets continuing to grow even when in recession - but we're not there yet. This is perhaps the difficult time - will there or won't there be a recession?

If we do go into recession and firms start making people redundant then it may work out the same as during the last major recession. Unemployment grew so much and so quickly that people had no hope of finding a new employer. Many had redundancy cheques, and their only option was to start their own business.

There were two winners - franchising companies, and companies providing eCommrce sites and hosting.

Vger

UH-Matt · 3rd September 2008, 02:07 PM

Web design/hosting wise: The website is the last thing to go for most businesses that are struggling...

clyde · 4th September 2008, 08:24 AM

We're playing on the "small & local is affordable" theme.
I don't mean being cheap cheap, but trying to give an impression of competence at less money than national companies. Sort of like the easyjet of the computer support industry ....

galahad · 16th September 2008, 08:57 AM

We're also trying to be as cheap as we can (within reason) but somehow need to drum up new sales- we get the usual from referrals but brand new ones are needed as well- only we can't afford traditional advertising at the moment (and I'm still far from convinced about the merits of "cold" advertising anyway- in terms of the returns that usually result)

Anyone else reviewing advertising at present and thinking about how / where the next "brand new" sale may come from?

Vger · 16th September 2008, 05:07 PM

In our experience the worst thing you can do is to appear to be too cheap. People equate being cheap with also being poor quality.

Sometimes you do have to spend money on advertising if you want to get new business - it just can't be avoided.

Google Adwords is the obvious one to use, but you could also try adding an Affiliate System to your site in hopes of driving sales in that way.

Vger

galahad · 17th September 2008, 09:03 AM

May try that- also I was wondering if adding links to those "recommend / write about" sites such as deli.cio.us and Diggit and all these others is worth doing- I've noticed a number of sites have a whole row of icons for these referral sites at the bottom of their page, with an invitation for people to recommend them or write about them on such sites. Worth doing or a gimmick, I wonder?