More positive economic news this morning. The Commerce Department reported that sales of durable-goods, products like large home appliances built to last least three years or more, posted a 4.9 percent increase, their largest in two years.

Go to dinner on us.
Start a business for a needy family.
Don’t spend a dime.

We at REACH have been spouting off a lot lately about “getting creative” in the recession and “investing in marketing now” to reap returns when the recession is over. Well, it’s time we put our money where our mouth is. REACH is announcing Rupees for Referrals – a unique program to ignite business and help people in need. Here’s how it works:

1. We’re inviting all of our current clients, partners and business associates to pass along information about our top-notch creative services to anyone they know who is interested in hiring us.

2. Those businesses referred by our network call us to discuss their marketing needs.

3. For every such referral produced, we’ll reward the referring individual (not their company) in two ways: with a $50 check made out to them, and with a $50 donation to the Dalit Freedom Network business development program in their honor. Dalit Freedom Network is a human rights organization that advocates for India’s “untouchable” class – one of the most oppressed people groups in the world.

That’s it. Go stumping for REACH and get $50 back, plus a good feeling from helping someone who could really use it. Everyone wins!
(We should definitely go into politics.)

About DFN: Dalit Freedom Network partners with the Dalits in their quest for religious freedom, social justice, and human rights by mobilizing human, informational, and financial resources.

I know there are a LOT of factors involved in Ford’s resurgence and probably very little has to do with marketing. But this story at least supports our assumption on this blog that recession = opportunity to gain market share.

Ford Motor Co. returned to profitability in the second quarter and showed signs of stabilizing as the company continued to win customers from its Detroit competitors.

Interesting article by Dr. Gene Huang on the AmEx small biz content site. Ok, so maybe that thing you’ve always heard about the Chinese word being the same for “danger” and “opportunity” is bunk. But Dr. Huang still makes some good points.

I grew up in China and came to the United States in 1985.  In my first language, Mandarin, the character “wei ji” stands for both “crisis” and “opportunity.”  That’s perhaps well known in business circles, but it is especially relevant fact for the small business owner today.

Plus, he offers a list of 5 important things for small businesses to consider:

·     Measure and examine the validity of your product lines and business.   That, of course, is an ongoing process in good times and in bad, but now is the time to be realistic. Focus on what’s working.

·     Think of the needs versus wants equation.  We’re seeing a rebound from the low points, but consumers are still worried.  For the foreseeable future, “must have” products and services are going to do better than the “nice to haves.”

·     Leverage technology to grow and gain efficiency, but don’t block out the older consumers.  Yes, younger generations are computer-savvy, but there is a large portion of the population that likes to buy things the old-fashioned way.  Don’t ignore this pool of sales.

·     Surf the curve.  Look at the trends and see what is working at larger companies. If you are expanding a business or getting ready to start one, consider emerging opportunities with energy and anything “green.”  While there are still skeptics, climate change is now considered to be real and serious by most.  Small businesses focused on alternative energy and preserving our environment will likely prosper in the future.

·     Think international.  The internet and the general globalization of commerce have put small businesses on a launching pad.  Look past your local boundaries and take advantage of the rising consumer purchasing power in countries such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, just to name a few.

#1 Getting a Running Start: Good marketing is about consistency and campaigning. Building a strong brand and ad campaign takes time. If you get the ball rolling now, you’ll be at top speed when customer purse strings start to loosen – while your competitors are still in “recovery mode.”

#3 Keep Thinking Creatively: When innovation succeeds, it invites more innovation. Encourage creative thinking and good ideas will become part of your corporate culture not just during hard economic times but at all times. Likewise, innovation may become part of your identity to external audiences – a company that thrived in the recession because it was agile and innovative.

#4 Think Creatively: The best marketing is always based on a creative idea. Slow economies force you to be creative. You can’t sell the same product or service the same way at the same price as before. See the recession as a training ground to stretch your creative capacity that might open up to new lines of business or better efficiencies.

Creating an account is free and simple, making it a cost-effective way for businesses to reach current and potential customers. However, creating an effective Twitter presence can take a lot of work and planning, Pigott said.

But there’s also this, which I disagree with.

“It shouldn’t be considered marketing,” Kwon said. “Marketing is about creating a need for your product or service. Social networking is about engaging in conversation with people, whether they are fans, detractors, competitors or everyday folk.”

1. Marketing is about creating demand, not need.

2. Engaging conversation = raising awareness = creating demand