How do you stop participating in this recession, not just with the economy, but also the recession of our spirit and minds.    With the constant bombardment of bad economic news and the crazy, suicidal finance industry with a knife poised at its heart, it hard to remember – hey folks it almost SPRING.

Now for a good Minnesota girl like me SPRING, (yes we do all caps here in March as last week a 22 below wind-chills blew through),   it has been interesting to discover that some of the greatest companies have emerged from recessions.

Check out the articles we have posted from Wharton School of Management,  and “Why it pays to Promote in a Recession” graph, along with a great recap of a brand new study on the importance of branded products:   http://www.scpromo.com/Newsletter.shtml

We need a SPRING in our spirits by not participating in this recession.   And, yes, we are selling the “I refuse to participate in the recession” tee shirts at www.scpromo.com.   Our spririts at St. Croix are recession-free!

What we are learning in our retail business is that people are buying when you give them a great value and a reason to buy.   How?  Nice, smiling, happy engaged customer service;  fun, interesting and fairly priced products (yes, lower price points are working better – but not always!), and super values give people the reasons to buy, (think- GWP, BOGO that are real- and contests- everyone’s a winner- and they engage the customer).  Yes its harder, but so what?

At a seminar I attended a woe-is-me economy question was asked and the speaker responded:   “Well, who cares if the economy sucks.  Get out there and make something happen.  Stop your whining, speak the truth to your customers and sell what works.”

So I say bring it on.   The opportunities are out there for the big and little  folks whose spirits are intact and their brains screwed on.   I intend to sell what works and help our customers grow their business.  So no more gloomy, woe-is-me- Its SPRING!   Pady