Every author knows that to market a successfully market a book these days you need a “platform” if you are going to successfully market your book.

Larry King and Chris Matthews have a ‘platform’ (TV) that gets their name, face and ideas in front of lots of people on a regular basis – and they sell lots of books.

NOTE – I know that you might not be an author — but please stay with me on this one — this is an important strategy for almost all businesses.

While hosting a TV show is a great platform — most authors have to settle for appearing on other people’s platforms (other people’s TV programs)…and if you appear on enough TV or radio programs you have created a de-facto “platform” because people get to know your name and might recognize your book’s title.

So, how do you get your own platform? I know of people that buy time on TV stations (think infomercials) or book (pay-per-play) radio time on a local radio station. Their “platform” is expensive and business results are hard to quantify (are these customers buying my product because of my radio show or my newspaper ads?).

Earlier today I created my own internet radio show — a show called “Slump Marketing Tactics & Tips” — I setup my FREE account while listening to another marketing expert’s internet radio show! Here is the link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/OnlineStrategist

Now, I don’t want to mis-lead you here — I’m talking about business information radio programs — not political talk shows.

What will you talk about on your own internet radio program? That’s simple — Whatever interests your customers or prospects! You or someone else in your company is an expert…right?

Not an expert — then interview the experts.

Don’t want to talk for 60 minutes — then schedule your program for 15 minutes — that’s what I have done — 15 minutes of quality, no-nonsense information broadcast weekly (or even monthly) will build a great library archive that will be available 24/7 to anyone with an internet connection — worldwide.

Think about it — your own broadcast platform and it is free.

BTW – the show that I was listening to earlier was from Mark Hendricks.

Starting in mid-December 2007, the word “recession” began a steep climb in Google search and Google news – a trend that spiked on Jan. 22nd.

Are we in a “recession” at this time? That is a technical question that will continued to be debated until long after we are in a recovery.

Are we in a business “slump?” Most certainly. Should you roll up your marketing carpet and wait it out? Absolutely not.

Recessions have traditionally not been a friend of marketing — but I believe that savvy online marketers will discover that Internet marketing provides ample opportunities to prosper and profit during any slump or recession that weren’t readily available in the last slump/recession.

Why am I thanking Marketing Sherpa? Well…for the past week I have been doing research for a seminar on how to market during a recession or downturn and looking for a catchy title. Well…this morning I started reading their part 2 of their “Marketing During a Downturn” special report…and there it was in the table of contents — “What Does a Slump Mean.”

There was my title idea: “Slump Marketing” — or possibly “”Slump Marketing — Booming Profits”.

What are you doing to market through this slump? I’d love to hear your thoughts and success stories. You can submit a comment, a trackback or email at john at johnlawlor.com.