It is not easy to keep business going during tough times. You need to get creative with the way you approach certain aspects of business. You need to look at how you are attracting customer on a regular basis and constantly reassess your methods. Keeping on top of this is the best way to keep it fresh and effective.
One of the most important things that your business needs is new customers. You want the flow of new people to keep coming in. It is the best way to stay afloat. To get these you can do several things. Advertising is paramount for this. You can try print ads in the local paper or some on the radio. If you can get some referrals from your current customers you will be very successful with those. Using nice promotional products to get these works.
RETENTION - If you want to build a successful business than you will definitely want to maintain as many customers as possible. Of course you will lose some customers along the way, that is inevitable, but keeping track of your customers can really help you realize your goals of retaining as many as possible. Also, collecting personal information from your customers such as their addresses and phone numbers can help you get in contact with them if you haven't seen them around for a while. Calling a customer to make sure that everything is alright when you notice that they have been absent for a while shows a level of caring that will impress most customers more than anything else you can do.
Advertising with promotional products will mean a great deal to getting brand recognition. You will also be able to get your company name out in the community by using these. They are good for advertising and for customer satisfaction. People love to get free stuff. If you want to get your new customers to remember your company and be more likely to return then these items are great for new folks.
You need to learn all that you can about business so that you can keep your company going when times are hard. Just because someone owns a business does not mean that they necessarily know what they are doing. Therefore learning is important. It is also good to stay open to new ideas and don't let things get stale.