When Families Relocate a Local Canpages Phone Directory Makes Life Easier

Since we decided to move to the lower mainland BC from Calgary I've been trying to figure out what extra-curricular activities to register my kids in. I would get frustrated searching because I didn't always know exactly what I was looking for, I wanted one place that listed all the local extra-curricular activities that each city offered. Looking at local online directories like Canpages.ca and google searches was great when I knew exactly which type of activity I was looking for. Thing is I want my kids to try something different and take advantage of what the new city offers.

Now that we've narrowed our search to one area of the lower mainland it got a bit easier but without a house and very limited access to the Internet I didn't have the luxury of trying to find that elusive all in one listing of the different extra-curricular activities online. I tried driving around but that was just frustrating, so I stopped in at a Best Western for a Yellow Pages and they gave me an extra Canpages for the area. This tool worked great when I knew what heading I was looking for but not to help me discover new opportunities the community offered.... or so I thought!

I just happened to be waiting for someone and started skimming the Canpages Phone Directory Community Pages and guess what I found! A list with all the contact numbers of various programs, sports, businesses and centers that offer extra-curricular activities for the kids. It was also filled with descriptions of the various parks, farmers markets, sights, and tidbits on the community. The local phone books are really under utilized by the people who receive them. Sometimes you just have to open it to find out why you need a phone book delivered to your door, you might be surprised at what you find.

Can Your Business Survive a Recession? Work Smarter, Harder and Leaner

Back in June when I wrote that I thought many industries were already in recession and the US economy as a whole was on its way to a recession many were in disagreement. With the stock markets taking a hit and banks going into receivership I think we are already way beyond recession and now heading for a larger economic downturn then most would say. I don't even want to use the word depression but when you look at the historic reasons for the depression you can't help but see parallels. Banks going under, stock market values falling, people loosing their homes and jobs.

The big difference is the governments willingness to inject cash into the market sooner rather than later which will hopefully keep things from getting worse. The economy was being supported by borrowed money for so long it shouldn't be a surprise that it ran out.

As a business owner what can you do to survive this economic downturn?

Simple answer be smart about credit and spending. Longer answer:

1. Don't plan to expand in the next year, if your business plan called for expansion right now, revamp it and create a maintenance plan for the next 2 years at least.

2. Don't borrow right now. Get your inventory levels under control with systems that enable you to have more just in time deliveries and less overhead. Figure out a system that will enable you to turn over inventory more efficiently and cost effective. If possible negotiate longer payment terms then you currently have with suppliers.

3. Bring in more "must have" items, by this I mean necessity consumable items that people have to buy that are similar to what you offer consumers now. Keep luxury items at a minimum.

4. Advertise, but don't be stupid about it. You still need to get your story out into the market place and let people know that you are still in business. If you stop advertising your present customers may think you are no longer in business or worse, that you are going out of business. Advertising is an investment not a cost. Make sure you advertise where your customers see you and in the most affordable manner.

If you have a full colour ad in Yellow Pages you may want to cut back to a black and white ad that is the same size or look to their competition for more affordable advertising: Canpages being their number one national competitor.

Look at going to community newsletters for affordable advertising rather than the big ads in the newspaper. Community newsletters are relevant to their readers, are delivered to consumers homes, and is much more affordable then newspapers.

Instead of independent direct mail fliers that get thrown into the round file, advertise with direct mail catalogs like UPTOWN which provide recipients with articles and relevant information. These magazine's will stay in a home longer than your independent flier and cost you a lot less.

Know where your customers hear about you and find your contact information and then focus on those areas of advertising first.

5. Network, Network, Network....... Attend as many networking functions as you can without breaking the bank because this is affordable word of mouth advertising at its best. Don't go in expecting to make a sale right then or to sell everyone on your business. Go with the expectation of meeting new people and finding new services and business that you want to use.

Have a good 30 second commercial that will spark interest in your business and how you can help their business or personal lives. Don't go in spouting how great your product is and then leave and never return, networking takes an investment of time and interpersonal skills.

6. Merge your resources with another business. Cooperative marketing or cooperative advertising will help both businesses cut costs but at the same time provide both with exposure to the marketplace. Partner with a business that is a complement to yours and not your competitor. Put a plan in place together and write out the responsibilities and expenses of both parties. This will act as a contract for both of you to understand expectations and responsibilities.

7. Hire Professional Advisers. Professional advisers can help you look at the problems you face in a different creative way to ensure that you will come out ahead in the long run. Ask people who they use, google them, read their blogs or articles, and contact them to make an appointment to discuss your business.

Surviving a market downturn, especially one as ugly as this one could be will take planning and commitment on your part. If you continue to run your business in a reactive way instead of proactive you may find yourself in a huge hole that you can't get out of. If you want to be a successful business person, you have to foresee any circumstance and have a plan of action for the long run. By planning, working hard, being smart, and understanding your customer base you will come out of any recession ahead of the game.

Other entries on this topic:

Is the US going into a Recession?

Should you Cut Back on Advertising During a Recession?

Advertising Can People Find Your Business?

Consumers are Spending Less

Fun, Serious, or Proffessional - What Image is Your Marketing Potraying?

What image does your marketing portray? Whether online or offline your marketing image needs to be consistent. If your target market is aged 17-29 then your marketing needs to be fun, bright, and cutting edge. If your target market is 50 plus then it needs to be more mature, trustworthy, and professional.

Your image, or brand, needs to be expressed in every aspect of your business - from your office decor to your stationary. Organize your business based on what would appeal to your target market.

Not sure what appeals most to your target market? Then you need to get researching. Start by looking at your competition, what is their image trying to say about them? Who are they targeting and how? Google them, pick up their marketing literature, check out their office decor, and search industry publications for write ups on their company.

Start hanging out at places your target market frequents, be observant and take notes about the image of the places they like to go. What are they buying? What are they saying?

Check out Statistics Canada and Canada Post both sites have valuable information on where to find your target market in Canada. Check out sites that have information on the economy like the calculated risk blog.

Immerse yourself into their culture and then let your creativity go. Once you understand your customers you can organize both your organization and marketing to attract them. Make sure that everything about you and your business is consistent to the marketing message you are sending out.

If your marketing is really bright and fun and when your prospect comes to your place of business and find staunch and stuffy they will be turned off because you are not what they expected.

Market research is every where and for a price you can get information on any industry you want. Never before has it been so easy to find out about your market and then adapt to it, just Google!

Once You've Worked for Yourself, it's Hard to Go Back

The kids had 5 days off school so I took them up to Ponoka to see their dad, who is living up there for another month. Yes, there is a place called Ponoka and it is a very small town between Red Deer and Edmonton. It has a Micky D's(McDonalds) and a Tims (Tim Hortons), a little more then the small town I grew up in. I am not in any hurry to move the kids to Ponoka, there is so much more for them in Calgary. Good thing too, as my husband is not enjoying his new job.

My husband worked for himself for 4 years before he closed his doors to change careers, from an automotive mechanic to a pilot. Once you’ve been self employed it is hard to go back to being an employee. He’s called the shots for 4 years and is highly organized, efficient, and analytical. The company he works for as a pilot/purchaser is very unorganized and the amount of wasted money is out of control. He’s full of ideas to make things in purchasing run smoother and save the company a lot of money. Problem is, he’s not the one calling the shots anymore and he finds this frustrating.

The point of this story is that, once you’ve worked for yourself it’s hard to go back. Being self employed means the buck stops with you and you don’t have to convince anyone that your ideas are good, you just have to convince yourself. You make a mistake? Oh well, who’s going to yell at you or fire you? Yourself? If you are an idea person or like my husband very particular about how you like things done working for yourself is freedom from judgement and ridicule in the workplace. Your spouse and friends may still be full of judgement and ridicule, if so find a new spouse and new friends.

I've always planned on going back into the workforce once my children were older and when I did it wasn't easy to find someone who was willing to take a chance on me. Employers look at those who have stayed home and put their kids first for a period of time as a risk. Which is funny, because mothers make good managers, they have lots of experience in babysitting and time management. Raising kids is a marketable skill, not just a recognized one.

There is always a downside to working for yourself and the main one is cash flow. The next paycheque may not come and saving for a rainy day becomes a real priority. Without cash flow you won’t survive the first 6 months, let alone the first 2 years. Figure out where you can get an influx of cash and still strive to get your business off the ground. Look at what you have, what you need, and then find a solution. Talk to a financial planner, banker and your local community economic development association. There are lots of resources out there for you, it is just a matter of finding them.

That’s where I come in and my website, finding you the resources you will need and outlining what you will need to succeed. It is a huge undertaking and a work in progress at the moment, after all, I only got going seriously on this part of it in December of 2007 and I’ve only scratched the surface of what’s available out there.

21 Great Ways to Start and Build Your Own Successful Business