Gone are the days of bottomless pockets. Despite the occasional glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel, the reality is companies are still watching budgets, specifically marketing budgets. The good news is that the Internet is recession-proof. So what should you be doing to boost your business?

• Publish content. Everyone can access information free of charge, and you should be capitalizing on this time when customers may not be banging on your door to establish yourself as an expert in your field. When business picks up, they’ll turn to you first.

• Think strategically. Strategy starts with information, and the best place to gather that information is by heading straight to the internet. Learn as much as you can while you have the time, and build upon your expertise.

• Build relationships. It isn’t enough to have a profile on LinkedIn or a Facebook account if you aren’t connecting with others. Search for potential customers, vendors and strategic partners. Send them valuable content or connect them to a resource that may aid them in their work. Take the time to get to know what they do and to establish a personal connection.

• Explore new applications and make them work for your business. Check out platforms like Wolfram Alpha and OneRiot and think about how they might affect your business going forward. Be the leader and think of new ways to use these applications.

Don’t let a slow economy stop your marketing efforts. Just shift your focus and adjust to a changing environment.

I attended the APDF (Association of Professional Design Firms) Annual Exchange two weeks ago and not surprisingly the two “big” topics of conversation were related to social media and sustainability. I am not sure I feel like talking about Sustainability today but Social Media is worth some mention. Stephen Randall was the guest speaker related to this SM topic and he definitely gave me some food for thought – not just for my business but for my clients. His presentation reinforced that you should not view SM as a marketing campaign or promotion – that good social media practices are authentic and build trust over time – needless to say, the sales and connections will follow. As far as corporations, he highlighted Whole Foods as a good adopter of social media. Several “takeaway” points and challenges that I think are worth sharing:

• Your website doesn’t have a “voice” – social media is a platform to create that voice, build up a dialog with any intended (or unintended) audience. This works on a personal and a corporate level.
• Feel challenged to “bust open your firewall” – put your work, information and other content that you typically think of as “VIP access only” out for the world to see.
• Take on an attitude of sharing vs. promoting.

Other interesting places to go/tools to use: wiffiti, iLike, slideshare.com

Tags: apdf, ilike, slide share, slideshare, social media, whole foods, wiffiti

Ok, conference organizers, take note: start putting Twitter handles on your conference nametags. At recent events, I’ve witnessed a lot of attendees exchanging Twitter information at the social or networking functions. Sure, I still carry my business cards, but now I’ve also started handwriting my Twitter information on my conference badge so that when I do talk with someone, they know how to link up immediately. And when you’re at a conference, this is also good way to make sure you don’t miss out on any tweetups!

When I do get a business card from someone, I look them up on LinkedIn and send my follow up note and invitation to connect that way. If you care enough about the person you met to follow up with via email, then why not add them to your online network? With a LinkedIn connection, you may be doing both parties a favor – you never know how your extended networks might be able to help each other.

What does this say about the way we interact in person? As professionals, our networking is not just about exchanging your information, it’s about participating in an extended conversation and perhaps knowing that person on a more human level too. Online social networks make these conversations so much easier now! But if you do participate in social networks in this way, make sure that you are developing a good personal brand online (and by association, being a good ambassador for your company’s brand too).

Tags: linkedin, social networking, twitter

The world of social media is much like high school. There are a lot of people vying for a role in the “in” crowd, but a limited number of spots available. The truth is, your audience can only absorb so much information, so you have to make sure your voice is heard. Like the popular crowd in high school, your success in social media is partly due to luck and timing, but it’s also due to your ability to build up a support system. You need to attract enough people to get the dialogue started, because your value is only as strong as the audience you lead. You can’t be popular if you don’t have followers, so the question is, how do you generate followers?

You have to add value. In high school that meant throwing the best parties or being the best jock or acting as student body president. When it comes to social media, it means creating the best content and thinking outside the box. Ideas have to be new, fresh, and applicable to your audience. You have to move early and take risks, acting as a leader and paving the way for others. You have to write the rules instead of follow the rules. Attract a loyal base of followers who value the content you provide and add their own commentary. Your goal is to spark the dialogue that gets people talking. Maybe then you’ll have a chance to be recognized by the head cheerleader (like Pam Slim) or captain of the football team (Seth Godin).

Last night the Savages gathered at the Armadillo Palace to knock back a few cold ones and toast Kenny Ragland, Savage Vice President, Partner and Design Director, for 25 fantastic years with the company. A great time was had by all, especially Kenny, who walked away with a swanky new camera and trophy displaying his beloved coffee mug of years past. See more pictures on Facebook!

Tags: kenny ragland