The Boost You Need

Most companies are clamping down on costs as the economy slows to a trickle, and that often means slashing the marketing budget or doing without one—just when it’s most important to get their messages to potential customers. In a down market, advertising, public relations and other publicity are more crucial than ever, say marketing pros.

We spoke to four small business owners who are doing their own marketing. Then, we asked four professional marketers how they would position these companies, based on the overviews we provided.

Even with limited information, the marketing experts came up with solid, affordable starting strategies. Read on to decide if you would budget for them. 

The Business: Self Publishing
The concept behind Karen Freysinger’s publishing company, "Aha!" Elora Danan Productions, began with a family pet. It was actually a guinea pig, named Countess Pigula, that belonged to her 10-year-old daughter, Elora Danan. These two inspirations—children and guinea pigs—led to Adventures of Countess Pigula: Her Royal Imagination, the first children’s book in Freysinger’s planned series about their pet.

"One day, I’m feeding my daughter’s guinea pig and singing this song, this rhyme about this guinea pig, and two days later, the same thing came out, and my husband was like, ‘You’d better write that down,’" recalls Freysinger, of Fort Myers.

After years as a massage therapist, she returned to her graphic design and writing background. She wrote and illustrated the children’s book, which hit shelves in the spring of 2007. About 1,000 copies have sold, with help from wholesaler Baker & Taylor Inc., at $15.95 each.

"I checked on prices of books [with] illustrations comparable to or better than mine," she says. "I had to take into account what it would cost me to actually print it."