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One economist noted that there are always ways to make money -- you just do it differently in good times versus bad times. It's difficult but essential to keep a positive attitude when dealing with a slowdown in business. Doing nothing will not solve any of your problems. The only way to break through fear is to do the thing you fear.

Begin today to develop a competitive strategy to deal with the coming months. Realize that a slow economy causes people to stagnate and do nothing. So if you're doing something, anything to stimulate business and reduce costs, you're still ahead of the game.

Take Business Away From Your Competitors

Your competitors may be doing nothing to promote their businesses. Take advantage of their lethargic nature and attract people in your neighborhood who may be dissatisfied with their lack of attention to detail, or the fact that they can't remember you by name.

Begin to Develop Better Relationships with Customers

Remember, the Rockefeller Foundation found that 68 percent of customers leave an establishment because of an attitude of indifference on the part of an employee or management. What are you doing today to make sure that does not happen to any of your customers? You cannot afford, during these uncertain times to lose customers to indifferent attitudes.

Begin to establish a system to keep in touch with customers more often, whether through email, newsletters, mail or phone. Find out why fading customers haven't returned and do whatever it takes to make it right so they'll return. This is a whole lot easier than begging and discounting so new customers will try you out. You already have a relationship with these former customers. Get on the phone and develop it further.

One dry cleaner began calling lost customers. She retrieved the customer who came in and spent over $300 on one order. You never know if customers are thinking about you and all they want is a phone call.

Do Customers Know All The Services You Provide?

Business owners take their services for granted. But all of your customers do not know all of the services you provide. Train your sales people to tell customers and prospects about all the services you provide.

Diversify Your Marketing Strategies

Usually in uncertain times, marketing is the first expense to be cut. According to the March edition of the Harvard Business Review, this is exactly the right time to begin an advertising campaign. The reason is your competitors are wallowing in fear and doubt and so you can now take advantage of this and attract new people into your store.

Power Up Your Technology

You don't have to purchase fancier technology. If you have a POS system, you possess the greatest asset you can own -- a customer database. The problem is only about 10 percent of businesses use their POS for marketing. Those that do report sales increases of 15 percent - 20 percent with each customer contact. Understand the power of segmenting your customers by customer type and relating to them on an individual, personalized basis. When you do this you'll establish rapport and insure a loyal customer.

Refresh Your Customer Care Skills

You have to get better. More organized and use technology to your advantage. Your front counter people are the eyes and ears of your organization. They hold the key to research about what customers want, believe about you and what they think about your service. With employee incentives you can motivate them to find out a goldmine of information about what your customers want and then deliver it to them the way they want it, on time in a quality package. Look for creative ways to help customers .

Most importantly talk to customers and prospects. Develop relationships so you can easily ask them if they have needs for more of your services, or if they know people who might be in the mood to switch to your company. Maybe they know new people who have moved into the neighborhood.

If you treat each customer the same, you'll continue to get the same results. When you listen you'll be one step ahead of the game and ahead of your competitors.