How to Sell Office Supplies in a Recession

For office supply companies, a recession poses a challenge.

During times of economic downturn, it can be difficult for an office supply company to stay afloat, much less maintain its normal sales volume. Not only is there the direct hit of less shoppers out and about, there is also the fact that those they sell to are also diminished in number. For example, say, one of your bigger business clients happens to go out of business. With clever marketing and planning, there are ways to stay afloat, however.

Instructions

1. Pinpoint when the sales began to lag. Did it happen right when the recession hit? Or did you earn your normal revenue for a while? Figuring out the timing of a sales drop off can help you diagnose the problem. It's not always a guaranteed way, but it can give you a good idea.

2. Maintain excellent customer service. According to a survey conducted by the Small Business Administration (SBA), 70 percent of customers leave because they feel that they are not treated well. Before you employ any drastic survival measures, ensure that your staff's customer service is second to none.

3. Keep as much labor as you can. In a recession, it may be tempting to trim your staff down to a skeleton crew. However, studies show that the majority of customers dislike excessive automation, such as voice recognition software on the phone. They prefer to do business with a real person. Plus, if you cut labor too much, then you run the risk of not having enough help to deal with your customer flow.

4. Offer special deals and promotions to your loyal customers. Frequent buyer cards, VIP clubs and mailing lists are a good way to find out who they are and reward them. During tough economic times, it's difficult (although not impossible) to acquire new customers. Focus on retaining the ones you have.

5. Adapt your marketing to the recession. Spend only what you can, but make sure you still reach a broad audience. If you advertise on TV, then move to billboards or print to save a few dollars. Another adjustment lies in the message itself. For instance, those who were laid off are going to need resume paper, folders, binders and printer ink. Granted, this is a generalization, but finding a tactful way to work the downturn into your pitch can aid in keeping the customers coming.

References

• Ann Barr: #1 Reason Why Customers Leave