John (or Joan) Q. Citizen probably don't think of how certain decisions in the business world affected them. The primary thing most are concerned with is making sure they have enough money to pay the bills.Gas prices rise, but they don't automatically think of the higher grocery prices they would soon be paying. They just knew things were tighter now than they have ever been.
Unions demanded more money, but they didn't automatically think of how that might affect the price of their next car or airline ticket they just hoped the car would last a little longer or a great deal would come along.
However, when you work on a new business startup in a world called ecommerce you begin to take notice of the pebbles tossed in the pond you swim in. Suddenly it is much easier to see the ripples those pebbles create and you brace for the aftermath of the wake because there will be a wake.
If you're going to be in business ecommerce is a wonderful place to launch because o verhead is often much less than a traditional brick and mortar store and you likely have fewer employees than a traditional store counterpart.
You may discover, however, that your marketing plan needs a 'flex' mode. This means the things you sell online may require certain shifts in marketing depending on regional or national economic indicators.
For instance, let's say
1. You sell decorative outdoor lighting fixtures.
2. Your marketing plan has you developing content based on developing pleasing lighting for the home.
3. New housing starts are down and new home purchases are light.
In this scenario there will likely be customers who would be looking for lighting for a home they own and want to improve it for reasons you may have stated in your online content. However, what if you 'flexed' your marketing ideals and re-pitched the product as a way of improving the value of a home an individual may want to sell? This could have a profound impact on yo ur ability to boost sales.
You are selling the exact same product, but you recast the product to conform to a real need - selling houses. This need is expressed behind closed doors and at the local coffee shop. It ultimately is translated to the general business climate. There may come a time when you revise your approach once more, but that's one of the best things about ecommerce, you can recast your sales approach when you need to.
Some of the very dismal things that may be happening in the business world around you may present marketing tools you just haven't used yet.
When it appears the economy may have dealt a blow to your marketing objectives take some time to investigate if there may be new opportunities in a shifted marketing strategy. Sometimes adversity can allow ecommerce to flourish in new soil.
Look for any and every advantage to marketing your product in light of changing circumstances. Change doesn't always have to be a bad thing.
