By Kellie D'Andrea

According to Bill Glazer, of GKIC the number one mistake businesses make is that they assume everyone knows their business and knows them when the reality is, if you are not consistently in front of your customers and prospects - they won't remember who you are or what you do! In today's environment, competition is fierce and you want to deploy new strategies that will help you survive and thrive in this recession and beyond.

Here are Bill's 7 strategies to move your business forward in these tough times and in future years. Give some of these a try and watch your business soar:

1. Sell to Someone Different

Expand your boundaries to sell to a new market. With the internet, it is easy to take your local business global. For example, a retailer can put a catalogue of their merchandise on line and now sell it globally. Look for other niches and choice multiple niches that offer you a quick way to more money.

2. Sell Differently

The industry has changed so change the way you are selling. In a recession, people are looking for it to be "okay" to spend money so figure out a way to make it okay. For example, an exclusive travel company in the past would never offer "try before you buy" packages because it wasn't their business model. Now they do and because they made it okay to buy - their customers continue to purchase from them.

3. Sell Something Different

Take a look at your resources and see if there is something you can add to your product or service line. For example, can you create special packages, training classes or group tours? For example, a local restaurant now offers customer day trips and wine schools to add to their product line.

4. Create More Value

In a recession, it is more important than ever to create additional value for your customers. What can you add to your offering that would bring additional value to your customers? For example, I usually block out xx of days for my coaching clients and to add value, I have increased the number of days available to them. I also make myself available for quick chats and email question - all included in my normal fees.

5. Strategic Status

Be the expert, the authority, the specialist and the must have advisor to your customers. People want to work with the best and want to be associated with the best so maintain your positioning in your field and be at the top of your game. Integrity goes a long way in a recession and your customers will remember.

6. Association

Napoleon Hill introduced us to mastermind groups in his book "Think and Grow Rich". The basic concept is that you are only as good as the people you know. You want to associate with those who will propel you forward, not hold you back. Take a look at your groups, vendors, employees and friends and decide who you should associate with in business, who will challenge you to grow.

7. Use Direct Response Marketing Systems

Direct marketing allows you to reach to your customers in a variety of different ways. Being outrageous is a proven technique that Bill teaches and his concept is on the premise that if doesn't matter how much advertising and direct mail you do if it doesn't get opened and read, it is worthless. People like outrageous because they are bored, overwhelmed, like to be amused and respond to something different. For example, In Bill Glazer's book "Outrageous" - he talks about a postcard he sent out with a picture of him on a donkey with the headline "Who do you think is the biggest ass?"

Kellie D'Andrea is the creator of the Build a Better Ezine System and publishes "The Marketing Edge" a FREE award winning ezine for small business owners who want to gain the competitive edge with strategic marketing and branding techniques that actually work. Interesting in starting your own business, sign up for a FREE mini course "The Empowered Entrepreneur" and learn how not to make the 23 Common Mistakes Most Entrepreneurs make with a FREE report offered at www.kelliedandrea.com.

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