Presentation prepared to assist small business owners in the Downtown Momence, Illinois Historic District to devise a low-cost marketing strategy in a challenging economic environment.

1. Recession Marketing
Stretching Your
Promotional Pennies
in an Economic Downturn
By Lisa M. Wogan
Upper Crossing Communications

2. Highlights …
 Marketing vs. Advertising
 Marketing Elements
 Strategy, Analysis & Plan
 Promotion Types &
Local Opportunities
 Internet/E-mail/Social Media

3. Presenter Background
 MSM Board President/
10-year volunteer
 Independent Mktg. Contractor
 Marcom Coordinator –
Economic Alliance of
Kankakee County
 10 years in publishing
 B.A. English

4. What is Marketing?
The process by which companies
determine what products or
services may be of interest to
customers, and the strategy to
use in sales, communications
and business development.
-Principles of Marketing

5. What is Advertising?
The activity of attracting
public attention to a product
or business, as by paid
announcements in the print,
broadcast, or electronic
media.
- The American Heritage Dictionary

6. Marketing Hierarchy
Business Plan
Marketing Strategy
Annual/Monthly Promotion Plan
Advertising

7. Pelé says:
"Success is no accident.
It is hard work,
perseverance, learning,
studying, sacrifice and
most of all,
love of what you are doing
or learning to do."

8. Marketing Elements
 Product Selection
 Price Point
 Operations (hours, policies, etc)
 Building/Storefront Condition
 Reputation
 Employee Conduct/Grooming
 Customer Service
 Displays
 Visual Materials, inc. logos,
brochures, business cards, menus
 Promotional Activities

9. Top 5 Best Practices
 Customer Focused
 Marketplace Understanding
 Regular v. Sporadic Attention
 Consistency/Brand Integration
 Targeted, Multi-channel
Promotion

10. Marketing Strategy
The marketing strategy section provides the
company's marketing strategy statement,
summarizing the key target buyer
description, competitive market segments the
company will compete in, the unique
positioning of the company and its products
compared to the competition, the reasons why
it is unique or compelling to buyers, price
strategy versus the competition, marketing
spending strategy with advertising and
promotion, and possible R&D and market
research expenditure strategies.
Source: Business Owners Toolkit www.toolkit.com
See: Marketing Strategy Checklist & Worksheet

11. Market Analysis
Determining your viability and competitive advantage
 Market Research  Competitor
 Professional Analysis
consultants  Strengths
 DIY  Weaknesses
 Written/Phone  Opportunities
Surveys  Threats
 Conversation
 Observation
 Ref. books &
sites(Claritas) See: Market Research Grid
Target Market & Projections Worksheet
 Market/industry
periodicals,
association
newsletters,
local
newspapers,
etc.

12. Greenberg Development Report
 Downtown Momence Market Analysis
 SWOT
 Market niche opportunities &
recommendations
 Building/environmental assessment
 Demographic information
 Trade area definition
 Available at MSM office & library

13. Formulating a Promotion Plan
 Logical outgrowth of short- and long-
term company objectives and your
marketing strategy
 Breakdown of each marketing event or
action planned to increase sales
 Organized by month, quarter or year
 Specify: Timing, goals & objectives,
marketing channel, cost, probability
of effectiveness
See: Marketing Plan Worksheet &
Monthly Marketing Calendar

14. Timing Your Promotions
 Considering conflicts and synergies to
get biggest bang for your buck!
 Internal Events (anniversaries, budget
cycle, new products, etc.)
 External Events (elections, sports, local
community celebrations &
social activities)
 Seasonal Cycles
 Major Holidays
 Major Industry Events
 Major Competitor Activities
 Supplier Events
 Major Prospect &
Customer Activities
Source: www.frugalmarketing.com

15. Types of Promotion
 Displays/Signage
 Marketing Collateral, e.g.
brochures, flyers
 Referrals
 Expos/Trade Shows
 Event Sponsorship
 Association membership
 Strategic Partnering/
Cross-promotion
 Advertising (media and direct)
 Internet/e-mail

16. Association Membership
 Main Street Momence
 Momence Chamber of Commerce
 Bradley-Bourbonnais Regional
Chamber of Commerce
 Economic Alliance of
Kankakee County
 National Federation of
Independent Business
 Industry-specific groups

17. Member Benefits
 Discounts
 Ribbon cuttings
 List/information sharing
 Newsletter receipt/exposure
 Networking
 Political advocacy

18. Local Advertising Channels
 Momence Progress-Reporter
 Herald Country Market
 Daily Journal
 Russell Publications
 Radio: WVLI, WKCC, WONU, WGFA, WRXQ, WKAN,
WIVR, etc.
 Directories: yellow pages, Home Pages
 Church bulletins
 H.S. yearbook and sports programs
 MYSA team sponsorship/signage
 Glad Fest float sponsorship
 Momence Chamber of Commerce community booklet

19. Channel Selection
 Seven factors by which different media outlets
can be assessed in order to build product
awareness, create interest, provide
information, stimulate demand and reinforce
the brand via paid advertising include:
 Creative Options
 Creative Cost
 Market Reach of Media
 Message Placement Cost
 Length of Exposure
 Advertising Clutter
 Response Tracking
Source: www.knowthis.com

20. Advertisement Structure
APPEAL +
VALUE PROPOSITION +
SLOGAN/LOGO

21. Earned Media Exposure
 Be Newsworthy!
 Substantial giveaways
 Company hires, new products, new
location, etc.
 Unique in-store promotions/contests
 Co-operative promotions
 Sharing expertise
 Charitable outreach
 Civic board membership
 Unique personal experiences
 Be on trend

22. Cross-Promotion &
Co-op Advertising Benefits
 Efficiency
 Cost
 Credibility
 Impact
 Examples: Reciprocal business cards,
menus, promotional flyers, product
sample, coupon distribution; share ad
space; pool mailing lists; co-produce
promo event

23. Local Opportunities
 Main Street Momence
 Christmas Gathering Welcome Wreath Promo
 Bordertown Hauntings participation
 Community Banner Program
 Cruise Night goodie bags
 Discount shopping card
 Regional restaurant guide
 Billboard
 Dixie Daze Taste of Momence
 Event sponsorship
 Downtown Directory
 Grand Openings, Mother’s Day promotion

24. Regional Promotion

25. Internet Promotion
 Channel Benefits
 Relatively low cost or FREE
 Fosters customer interaction
 Grows brand/store loyalty
 Eases/speeds communication
 Breaks down traditional media
barriers

26. Who’s on the Internet?
74% of U.S. adults use the internet! Rates
are steady across community type and racial
and ethnic lines, increasing with
educational attainment and household income.
83% of those with a household income of
50-75K, and 87% of those with some post-high
school education use the internet.
70% of those 50-64 use the internet.
Source: Pew Research Center, 12/2009

27. Types of Internet Promotion
 Websites/blogs (Blogger, WordPress)
 E-mail marketing (Constant Contact,
Mail Chimp, iContact)
 Reference/mapping sites (Google Local,
Google Street Maps, Insider Pages,
Manta, Yelp, City Squares, Four Square)
 Community websites/blogs
(I-57 Life/Best Bites)
 Social Media (Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.)
 Paid Advertising

28. Social media’s for kids, right?
Facebook and Twitter
boasted triple-digit growth
in 2009, with social
networking now accounting
for 11% of all time
spent online!
Source: The Neilsen Co.

29. Facebook User Breakdown
As of February,
Facebook had 400
million users
worldwide.
Depending on the
day, it is the most
visited site in the
United States. The
average user spends
more than 55
minutes per day on
Facebook. According
to Neilsen,
Facebook reaches
56% of the active
U.S. Internet
universe.
Source: Ken Burbary

30. Facebooking Downtown!
 Sensei Steve’s Karate
 Our Savior Lutheran Church
 Stage Door Sweet Shoppe
 Kanga Roof
 China Wok
 Momence Fire Protection District
 Marcotte’s
 Bordertown Pub

33. How much do I spend?
Rule of thumb:
20% of resources –
budget and time –
should be spent on
marketing.

34. Ad/Promo Budget
 Counselors to America's Small
Business (SCORE) and the U.S.
Small Business Administration
(SBA) define the variable for a
proper advertising and promotion
budget to be between 2% and 10%
of sales.
 Most small businesses (less than
$5 million gross revenue) should
shoot for at least 7-8% of gross
sales.

35. SCORE says:
"Often, small businesses estimate
their sales revenue, cost-of-goods,
overhead and salaries and then gross
profit. Anything left is considered
available funds for marketing
support. That's not such a good idea.
If you are the new competitor in the
marketplace, you will have to spend
more aggressively to establish your
market share objective."

36. David Packard said:
“Marketing is too important to be
left to the marketing department.”
“Take risks. Ask big questions.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes;
if you don't make mistakes,
you're not reaching far enough.”

37. Resources
 National Main Street Center - National Trust for Historic
Preservation http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/
 U.S. Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/
 SCORE – Counselors to America’s Small Business
http://www.score.org
 Nielsen Claritas SiteReports www.claritas.com
 Crain’s Chicago Business – Enterprise City blog
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/
 Duct Tape Marketing ducttapemarketing.com
 Small Business Trends http://smallbiztrends.com
 NetMBA Business Knowledge Center www.netmba.com
 Pew Internet & American Life Project www.pewinternet.org
 www.morebusiness.com
 www.mplans.com
 www.knowthis.com
 www.creativebusiness.com
 www.allbusiness.com
 Main Street Momence
103 N. Dixie Hwy. 815-472-3861 mainstreetmomence@sbcglobal.net
 KCC Small Business Development Center (Ken Crite) 815-802-8222

38. Thank you!