My Business Advocate

Building Better Communities by Building Better Businesses

Marketing in a Recession - How To Survive and Thrive

June 2009 Volume 29, Issue 6

Inside This Issue

Survive and Thrive 1Opinion by John 2South Kent Swing 3Member Recruiting 4ChamberPartners 5Real Estate Update 8eTool Developers 8Ambassadors' Corner 9Road Cosntruction Info 9Cruise Corner 10Metro Merchant Info 10Membership Value 11Calendars on Pages 6 & 7Log on to www.southkent.orgFor details.Marketing your products or services

during a recession is always difcult.

Every business, regardless of industryor maturity should advertise theirproducts and services to create afavorable sales environment and

generate qualied prospects. There

are two things survivors do withtheir marketing during a recession.

1.Maintainor IncreaseMarketing Spendingand2.FocusonSmarter Marketing

Maintain or Increase MarketingSpending

Study after study afterstudy says businesses that maintaintheir marketing spending during arecession increased market share

and had higher sales protability

than those that reduced marketingspending in both the short-term andlong-term! Increasing marketingspending during a recession offers

even greater benets. THIS MAY

SEEM DIFFICULT TO DO as youhave pressure to cut costs everywhere you can to survive. You may beexperiencing lower results from your marketing spending, but youare better off making deeper cutselsewhere.

Cutting back during a downturncan be like throwing away yourequity.

Maintenance today costsmuch less than rebuilding tomorrow.Another perspective to consider isthat advertising is a cumulative effort.Maintaining brand recognition shouldbe considered an “on-going businessinvestment” and the momentit stops, it begins to lose powerimmediately – and future sales arein jeopardy. Increasing advertisingspending during economic expansionoften yields no improvement inmarket share, because 80% of yourcompetitors are also increasing theirspending. Conversely, at least half of businesses reduce their advertingspend during an economic downturn,stated the Association of NationalAdvertisers in a recent article.

Focus on Smarter Marketing.

Customers are not in a risk-takingmood. If they are not in your marketnow, they won’t be until economy getsbetter. This is not the time for try togrow the market for your product orservices. You need to offer very deepprice discounts today to generate trial-– loss leader pricing will put you outof business today. Today’s customer wants VALUE in the products andservices that they MUST buy.Discretionary purchases are beingdelayed. ThismeansyoushouldADVERTISETHE“NEEDS”,NOT THE“WANTS”YOUOFFERintoday’senvironment.Focusonencouragingcurrentcustomers toincrease thefrequencyorsize ofpurchase andtopurchaseotherproductsorservices fromyou(cross sell/upsell)thattheyhaven’tdone historically. ConsideraddingaFrequentBuyerProgram tobuildcustomerloyalty. On-goingcustomercommunication(Newsletters,reminderpostcards,andcourtesyphonecalls)ismoreimportantthanever,sotheyknowyouare stillinbusiness. Live bytheoldmarketingsaying,“Ifitworks,domoreofit–ifitdoesn’t,stopdoingit.” Use provenadvertisingmediathat worksforyouandotherbusinessesinWestMichigantopromotethebusiness. Don’ttakeariskwithunproven“fringe”advertisingvehicles. TARGETED DirectMailAdvertising worksinanyeconomic environmentifdoneproperly. Focusongeneratingreferralsfrom customersandothers

in your sphere of inuence.

Attendeverynetworkingeventyou can.

Joinareferralgrouplike BNI orTheCatalystGrouptomaximizeyourmarketingspendingROI.Inabusiness climate like todaywheredecisionmakerswanttobuy,notbesold,youneedtobe afarmer,notahunter. Thismeanstakinga low– pressure,highlyvisible,relationshipapproachtoyourmarketing.Keepa goodattitudeandgoodluckin yourmarketinginthenearfuture…therecoveryisrightaroundthe corner.

Blair Entenmann is President of MarketingHelp!, a Grand Rapids based marketing firm specializing in helping clients catch and keep customers with better marketing strategies, programs and implementation. For more information, visit www.mktghelp.com or call 616-866-1198.

YOUR CHAMBER MANAGEMENT

2009 Board of Directors

*indicates Executive Committee Member

*John Crawford - President & CEO*Todd Duncan - Consumers Energy, Board Chair*Steve Marshall- MASAdvisoryService,Chair,Fin.&Budget*Norine Mulvihill - Option 1 Credit Union, Sr. V. Chair*Kathey Batey - Priority Health/Spirited Presentations*Brent Holland - Chameleon Ltd.*Skip Knapp - EdwardJones Investments*Tom Kruisenga - W. MI Business Group, Past Chair*Brent Vander Kolk - Vander Kolk & Vander Kolk PLC,Legal Counsel

Community Relations Division (Blue)

*Kathey Batey - Vice Chair Tommy Brann - Brann’s Steakhouse & GrilleDan Van Dyke - PCO Associates, LLC*Brent Vander Kolk - Vander Kolk & Vander Kolk,.PLCLillian VanderVeen - Lenger Travel Services

Member Relations Division (Red)

*Brent Holland - Vice ChairRichard Chrisman - Hungerford, Aldrin, Nichols & CarterDanna Mathiesen - Mercantile Bank John Schwartz - AT&T

Membership Development Division (Gold)

*Skip Knapp - Vice ChairRob Wells - AXA AdvisorsDiane Zandstra - W. MI Center for Family Health

Financial Development Division (Green)

*Norine Mulvihill - Sr. Vice ChairBetsy Artz - Loeks Theaters (Celebration Cinema) Joel Iakiri - Huntington Bank

David Szidik - Proforma Innite Marketing

Matt Uhl - National City

Ex-Ofcio

Carol Sheets - City of Wyoming, MayorRichard Root - City of Kentwood, MayorCurtis Holt - City of Wyoming, ManagerBill Doren - Chamber Foundation Chair

My Business Advocate

Feel Like You’re WinningAgain

Michigan, and indeed our country, are going throughbig changes right now and it can be un-nerving to watch the news. Always remember, though, that lifeis about change and that business success can beachieved in any market condition. Many millionairesbegan making their fortunes during economic downcycles.Very successful business people, in fact, are in abuying mode right now because there are great deals onbusiness assets in today’s market. What do they knowthat maybe I don’t? Well, (in addition to having someliquidity that I don’t), they know that the economy willeventually be climbing again. They position themselvesto win as the economic cycle begins to pick up duringthe slow times.

It Starts With Your Mindset

The journey begins with your decision to win and toDO something about your own position. In most cases,the farthest distance you’ll have to travel on this trip issix inches – the distance between your ears. Getting your attitude set starts by being around a bunch of like-minded winners.

The Chamber. Now, more than ever.

Your W-K Chamber of Commerce is the perfectplace to launch your journey or to give your trip aboost! NOW is the time, more than any other, to join The Chamber, to get involved and to invite friendsand colleagues to join you in The Chamber. Theenthusiasm of the 75 people at our Speed Networkingevent with our friends from the Grandville-Jenison,Hudsonville and Lowell Chambers captured it all!I promise you, as Business Community Leaders inthe area, by sticking together and keeping each otherencouraged, we’re working wonders as a Chamber andbuilding our businesses to new and better heights!

Feel like a Winner again!• Join The Chamber• Get Active in The Chamber• Invite a Colleague to Join You in The Chamber

And that’s my Opinion by John!

Opinion by John

June 2009By John J. Crawford

President & CEO

Many WKACC Group Health Plans tochoose from.For you and your employees. Contact janine@southkent.org for plan pricing andwork and residential eligibility requirements.

Our 29

AnnualSouth KentSwing Golf Outing

willbe on Friday, June 12

The PinesGolf Course

Get Ready to

SWING

into Summer Networking

Located at 5050 Byron Center SE in Wyoming.The Pines has been a Member since 1994.

Registration begins at 10 am withan 11 am shotgun start. The day includes use of the drivingrange and putting green, 18 holesof golf, cart, refreshments on thecourse, a box lunch and dinner atthe end of the day for only $85 pergolfer.

NO REFUNDS

after June 5,2009.

Sponsorships still Available:

Packages can include advertising:on the course, carts, volunteershirts and in the program. Somepackages also include a marketing

booth on the course, golng spots

and website advertising. Pricesrange from $100 to $1000. Contact julie@southkent.org or call 616-531-5990.

Golf Prize Alert!

Put your business in the spotlight when you donate a prize or prizesfor our 29th Annual South KentSwing Golfers. We love the big stuff but we need items for the Golfers'Goody Bags too!Some suggestions include, butare not limited to, electronics, gift

certicates or cards, gift baskets,

golf accessories, golf balls andtees, sunscreen and bug repellant.Contact julie@southkent.orgto make a contribution. We'llacknowledge your business in thegolfers' programs and at the AwardsBanquet at the end of the day.

Attention Junior Golfers!

The Kent Optimist Club invites Junior Golfers ages 12-18 to join us forour local qualifying tourney for the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship on June 15 at Thornapple Pointe Golf Club.Registration form and details available at www.grandrapidskentoptimists.orgor call Harry at 616.475.1167

Put the Power of Pizzaworking for your Business!

One flyer delivered with every pizza delivered byDomino’s Pizza during July and Aug!Wyoming-Grandville delivery area!Ad size 2” X 3 ¾”

Only $70, Two Spots For $125!

Contact Jerry Fennell, 334-5150

jerry@28thStreet.biz

The Grand Rapids Champter of SCORE can provide the tools andknowledge you need to start or improve your business. ContactSCORE for more information on free counselling opportunitiesand low cost workshops. A SCORE Representative, Ernie Birgeis available to meet with you by appointment. Contact him at616-771-0305 or log on to www.scoregr.org for more information.

Contact julie@southkent.org ordrop off prize donations beforeWednesday, June 11 at 5pm.