As the effects of the economy continue to make waves throughout American industry, many companies are doing all they can just to avoid being swept away. Credit is tight and work, for many, is sparse. Getting through times like these requires more than producing high quality output as efficiently as possible. The manufacturers who succeed will do so not only through the strengths of their operations, but by communicating those strengths in a way that draws in business to replace what has been lost.

Whether it be through your website, a corporate brochure or direct mail to potential clients, establishing a presence that ‘stands out’ requires creativity and originality. Consider all the mail you receive from vendors wanting to sell your shop new products. What percentage grabs your attention enough to merit taking the time to read about their products? Chances are, at least half of it goes into the trashcan without a second thought.

Conveying a message that holds a customer’s, or potential customer’s, attention can be a daunting task. As with most things in life, applying a structured approach can make the process more productive and less stressful. Spend a significant amount of time and effort answering the following questions to begin developing the best way to make your company stand out.

What do your potential customers need?

In the current environment, the obvious answers would be things like low cost and lean production. Think several steps beyond that. In other words, beyond cheaper prices, what do your potential customers need to lower their costs?

How can your strengths meet your customer’s needs?

Again, thinking outside the box is critical. Being awarded work will do you no good if you are not getting paid enough for it to stay in business, so concentrate on how you can compete in ways other than reducing your margins to dangerous levels.

Once you have a clear vision of the needs you are best suited to meet, you must determine the ideal way to communicate them to prospects. Brochures, websites and direct mail all have their strengths, but before you begin considering the vehicles of delivery, you should have a clear idea of how you want to convey your business. Once you have developed a clear campaign, it can be applied to whatever mediums you choose to employ.

A strong creative campaign can come from anywhere and the unlikeliest sources may provide your best options. To capitalize on this, you should involve as many people as possible in the early stages of creating a campaign. Let your employees know what you are attempting to develop and, if possible, hold a brainstorming session or two that includes as many of them as is feasible. In this type of session, there is no such thing as a bad idea. One person’s half-joking suggestion might trigger a discussion that leads to the perfect option.

Ideally, you will emerge from the brainstorming stage with three to five solid options. As you evaluate your best choices, consider what each will say to potential customers. Which ideas are most closely linked to the benefits you can provide to those with whom you do business? Which are most likely to grab someone’s attention? Do any have a potentially negative interpretation if read in the wrong context? By asking these types of questions, you should be able to identify the option that best suits your shop.

While it is important to have a cohesive, consistent message across all materials representing your company, each avenue of communication also has its own nuances.

Website

Know Your limits – Nothing loses a reader faster than poor functionality. Technology allows a lot of innovation in web design, but be sure that the person building your site does not attempt to incorporate aspects beyond their abilities. Otherwise, you could end up with sputtering videos and links that lead to nowhere.

Stay On Track – While a website should include a complete snapshot of your business, there is such a thing as including too much information. Make sure that information you want potential customers to see does not get lost in a sea of clutter.

Two’s Not Too Many To Tango – Spelling and grammar seems fairly straightforward, but many small and mid-size businesses still fall prey to misspellings and misusage of words on their websites. Make sure that someone with professional writing experience reviews your text to avoid potentially embarrassing mistakes.

Company Brochure

Keep It Clean – A clean design with open space really draws attention to the points you are trying to make. Make sure that the person or company designing your brochure does not try to fit ten things on a page that only has room for two.

Simply, the Best – Usually, a company brochure is not the right place to convey complex, highly detailed information. Keep your message simple enough to resonate with people with non-technical backgrounds.

Show and Tell – The right images can say just as much as a page of words, in a fraction of the time. Pick images that tell readers enough to make them want to see what the brochure has to say.

Direct Mail

Attention Grabbing Headlines – Poorly executed direct mail will usually end up unread in a trashcan. Make sure that the exterior of your mailer contains a headline or image that will pique the interest of recipients enough for them to take the time to read your message.

Don’t Ramble On – The more you try to say in a piece of mail, the less likely the recipient is to read all of it. Stick to your core message and leave the details for follow-up communications.

Be a Little Edgy – All other aspects held equal, a mailer with an interesting physical design will be read more often than a simple postcard. Today’s printers can do a lot on a tight budget, so explore your options to find a unique shape or format that will catch the attention of your target audience.

The current economy provides somewhat of a dilemma. Communication is vital for acquiring new business, but most forms of effective business communication require money that might not be readily available. The tips in this article can help you get started by completing a significant amount of the work on your own instead of paying for it. When it comes time to execute a communications campaign, be sure to reach out to any marketing contacts in your professional and personal networks and get several quotes to make sure you are not overpaying for services. If done correctly, a small investment in marketing communications can help you stay afloat in these tumultuous times.