No business or individual can claim full immunity from rising energy costs and a slower economy. In fact, energy costs have impacted all of us, so much so that inflation is now at a multi-year high. Plus, the constant reports in the media about a slowing economy do very little to endorse growth initiatives, especially where small businesses, which typically have tighter budgetary controls, are involved.

In times like these, sales growth typically slows. In addition, margins lose steam and productivity also suffers. The reason for slower sales growth is a combination of emotion (fear-based) and a reluctance to try new approaches. Margins decrease because expenses, such as travel and transportation, increase. And productivity suffers because more employees are sitting around due to slower growth.

Rather than sitting tight and riding out an economic slowdown, small businesses need to ramp up their sales activities. Instead, many are gun shy. This is a fundamental error that is only exacerbated by the fact that they are “small” businesses. To achieve growth targets in slower economic times, Quote Stork urges small businesses to take a non-traditional approach to their marketing efforts. One such approach is through web conferences.

Where webinars, or web conferencing can help with the sales process is through a simple two-step process. The way Quote Stork Solutions sees things, web conferencing is expected to grow six-hundred percent over the next five years according to a May 2008 Ipsos report. And while medium- and large-sized businesses are already capitalizing on the benefits, small businesses who fail to adapt quickly stand to lose.

In the first step, the small business initiates a direct-response marketing campaign. This type of marketing benefits all types of businesses, but larger competitors typically shy away from them since they are perceived as high-maintenance. Small businesses, however, use these touchy-feely campaigns more effectively and consequently have experienced proven results. Additionally, since direct-response involves taking action, only interested prospects will respond.

The second part entails preparing and putting on a seminar via web conference. While this seminar will surely involve a sales pitch on the small business’s part, it will also provide a value-added reason for interested prospects to attend. For example, a plumber looking to expand his reach might show prospects some of the worst plumbing jobs he has encountered and discuss the dangers that such poor work may cause.

Using direct-response marketing, small businesses can eliminate the need for fronting large sums of cash for putting together a traditional seminar. And since only interested prospects will attend your webinar (versus cold-calling prospects who do not want to hear or see you), you will speak and sell to a captive audience. Forget the hard sale.

Finally, employing a web conference as part of your sales process is a win-win for everyone. For the small business owner looking to sell a product or service, a web conference allows mass selling to a group of interested parties; sure beats knocking on doors. And prospects are able to attend your web conference without leaving the comfort of their office or home, allowing them to save on time and travel as well.

The market leader here is GoToMeeting. They offer a comprehensive web conference solution for all business types. Plus, through the link below, you can enjoy a Free Trial and receive $10 off your first paid web conference.

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Tags: Marketing