The past few years have been more than a little difficult for almost every size and type of business. An unhealthy economy, like a ruthless virus, can prove fatal to any business that is weak. However, there are proven remedies to prevent your failure to survive in business, regardless of the state of the economy.

John Arnold is an author, trainer, and marketing speaker on a mission to make marketing easier for every business and organization.  During Arnold's tenure, Constant Contact® was named No. 166 on Inc. 500's list of the fastest growing private companies and later completed a successful Initial Public Offering.

In an interview for Small Business Trends Radio, Arnold said this about the affects of a down economy on small businesses -

I think there is no question that the economy is having an impact on small business. When I say impact, what I really mean by that is there are two ways the down economy affects small businesses. One, of course, is financial and anything that hits you on the bottom line is always a concern. Anytime you are going to see a dip in the economy and a dip in the sales, you have got to be concerned as to whether you are going to be able to thrive and survive in that environment and draw more attention to yourself and more sales. So, that is the first thing.

The second one, and maybe even more important to consider, is the psychological impact. Your customers are changing their buying behavior, and as a result you know there is uncertainty and that is what a recession is really all about. Uncertainty about money, uncertainty about the future, and for a small business it is uncertainty about whether the marketing that you are spending money on is returning enough in return - and causes you to kind of re-evaluate whether you are being resourceful enough, and that can be a positive thing. What you want to do is take a hard look at the facts and make sure that you are making those smart decisions, it is critical that you do that… 

If your sales have been sluggish, now is the time to dig in and take a good hard look at the way you currently do business online. However tempting it may be, you cannot afford to overlook the importance of managing your online marketing. Making just a few simple adjustments can often mean the difference between success and failure – and timing is everything!

There is strength in numbers. You may think you are saving money by doing everything yourself, when the reality is that you are losing momentum and precious time is slipping through your fingers like so much sand. A team of experts monitoring your situation and overseeing your back office can actually save you time, money, and even the potential loss of sales.

When you have someone to answer your emails, for example, it allows you more time to strategize about your next marketing move. When there is someone to assist with your copywriting, you become free to decide when you will hold your next TeleSummit and whom you will invite to participate.

The truth is, by employing the many valuable resources available through a team of professional Virtual Assistants, you once again become the full-time manager of your business. Not only will you realize better returns on your marketing efforts, but you’ll also eliminate the feeling of being out-of-control, and the frustration of those overwhelming, yet necessary, daily tasks. You will once again have more time to invest in your clients and customers, the reason you do what you do. This can be the first step in overcoming any psychological impact brought about by a down economy. It can also be the most important step toward ensuring the health of your small business, thereby ensuring the success of your business far into the future.

A troubled economy can provide the wake-up call you would have otherwise missed. Being forced to take a second look at what you are doing, can often reveal what you are NOT doing. What you are not doing, as most small business owners have learned, can be a costly cause for failure. And while being willing and able to deal with your weaknesses is important, recognizing your strengths can be equally vital. Your strengths will keep you on course, while you make any necessary adjustments to your business plan.

Most importantly, you must know what direction to take when re-evaluating the handling of your business. Here are a few tips to consider:

*Don’t under price your services/products.

*Focus on your target market. Don’t try to work with everyone, or sell to everyone.

*Be sure to establish your brand in your market/niche

*Know where you are going and don’t get off course

*Know how to sell the benefits of what you do

*Understand and define what success in business means to YOU