Survive the Recession

INTRODUCING AN OCCASIONAL MUSING ON RECESSION-BUSTING ADVICE…  We’re gathering success stories to share with you.

After a blog break of a few months, I thought it was now time to revisit the recession (and how to survive it).  There’s lots of talk now that the recession is over, but spare a thought for some of those worst hit.  Today, I’ll point to some of the issues facing charities…

1. This solicitor’s firm says that charities buying buildings will have a new hit from the tax man
2. Yes. Even the Cayman Island charities are feeling the pinch
3. There’s a double blow to charities in the US as the recession caused a drop in donations at just the time their services are in greatest demand
4. Charities like this one in Edinburgh are getting creative to beat the recession
5. Getting too creative may be problematic.  In some US states, Lawyer Ellis McGehee warns,  charities are falling foul of the law in their fund-raising activities, particularly with raffles.
6. Barry Ritz reminds us that we should be thinking more about charitable giving right now
7. Finally, there are charities out there dedicated to protecting you from being ripped off by various online (and offline) scams

There’s been lots of blog activity on and around the recession recently.  I’ll report some of that now and when I can wrench myself away from the day job, I’ll write some real actual articles!

1. BGN Entrepreneur says ‘pay-per-post’ blogging is a way to get yourself out of recession blues.  I’ve never tried it – you?
2. Cheviot Charlie’s Marketing Guide thinks the way to get your business through the recession is search engine optimization (SEO).  And gives some useful tips.
3. The oDesk blog tells us which Programming, Development and Design Skills will help techies to Survive the Recession.  oDesk is a marketplace for online workteams
4. Chris of ‘Blogging with Chris’ shares some tips from Partners & Levit, Inc. advertising agency.  Mostly reinforcing the need to focus on customers and the ensuring your ‘brand’ works.  Well ad agencies would say that.  Still true though.
5. Auntie Wahm (Work at Home Mom) reminds us all not to be tempted to reduce prices to compete. So true – focus on value in the eyes of the customer.
6. The Capture Business Profits blog gives some useful pointers to making service pricing recession-proof.  It seems hard, but in my experience these are very good pieces of practical advice – and not just for small businesses.
7. Dr. Tony Youn’ Celebrity Cosmetic Surgery Blog gives us … Seven Plastic Surgery Tips to Survive the Recession.  Go on.  You know you want to.

Future main article topics planned or in preparation on Survive Recession include:

• Pricing in a recession
• Charities and the third sector in the recession
• Soaring impact of late payments
• Recession and the travel industry
• Recession success stories

Lots of tips since the last update

1. Credit Insurance – good or bad?  Story from nebusiness.co.uk
2. Suggestion that Biotech companies are well-placed to thrive or at least survive in the recession reported by the Boston Globe
3. Good advice from Mrudula Kodali in ITWales on how to make your website fit for the recession
4. New buzzword alert:  “Is Servant Leadershipthe answer to the recession?” asks Ken Blanchard in trainingzone.co.uk
5. The growing crowd of Recession Entrepreneurs talk to The Fresno Bee
6. Momlogic has written a Recession Survival Guide just for mothers trying to protect their families
7. Cathy Mayer’s blog is another one following the ‘Recession can wreck marriages’ theme.  If you’re busy looking here and everywhere for tips to survive, remember it’s not just you and your business life – don’t forget your life outside work!

No – I don’t have the answer yet, but in my recent skatings around the Twitterverse, I’ve found lots of mentions of the recession and how people think they will turn it into personal success stories.

You may have seen my own Twitter monitor of new ideas and products propagated by individual ‘Tweeps’ as @Idea_Flurry .

A simple search of references to ‘marketing’ and the ‘recession’ on Twitter reveals lots of excitement and possibilities.  Click here to try a search.

If I find any interesting patterns emerging, I’ll be back to post them here. 

Meanwhile, I’ve been invited to CIMA tomorrow for the “Is Your Marketing Profitable?” conference for finance and marketing professionals and will report back on any new insights on surviving (and winning) in the recession.

Another flurry of advice on how to succeed when everyone’s telling you the world’s collapsing …

1. Plenty of opportnities for architects, so says the Architects’ Journal
2. Hmm, mistresses have become the latest victims of the recession, according to the Telegraph
3. Matthew Stuart writing in The Big Money suggests that there will be many more openings for those without MBAs
4. Green Review asks if recycling will suffer and if it’s an opportunity to get people to reduce and reuse before recycling.
5. Great advice from Mary Schmidt: Quit Obsessing
6. RecessionWire is collecting stories on how to survive and thrive in the recession: mostly US-orented, but some useful snips

Finally, for you entrepreneurs looking for new ideas to execute or new products to market, I’ve started a new Twitter @Idea_flurry to capture some of these.  Follow these at http://www.twitter.com/Idea_flurry