To paraphrase Wall Street mogul Warren Buffet, you should sell when everyone is buying with frenzy and buy when everyone is selling in panic. It’s the best way to take advantage of the axiom, “Buy low and sell high.” Likewise, when doomsday is often the word of the day promulgated by the pundits, it is the best place to uncover blue chip opportunity for your business. It’s your opening to buy low and watch your investment soar.

There are three quick and painless ways to start mining for gold when others are wringing their hands.

Call Everyone You Know: The best business opportunities lay within your circle of influence — your family, friends, associates, clients, prospects, and your growing Facebook family that includes everyone you went to high school with! This is harvesting your low-hanging fruit. Regularly, you should be reminding everyone you know of the value you provide. Use several methods — call, write, or e-mail. Your message should be about how you improve people’s condition. The first time I started using this strategy, I received three responses within the week. The message should be brief and focused on the value you provide through your services or products. The goal is new opportunities and referrals, which is the platinum standard of gaining business.

Public Speaking: Find organizations and groups that need speakers for membership meetings and events. Many are begging for quality programs so they can keep their members paying annual dues! I’ve increased my mailing list significantly be speaking to organizations and giving audiences valuable information. I offer continuing free value through my newsletter and historically, about 75 percent or more in attendance sign up. This rapidly increases my community. I’m willing to speak for free to most non-profit organizations like Rotary, Chambers of Commerce, Professional Associations, and networking groups because it puts me in front of potential buyers and builds my pipeline. If you’re good, you will be asked to speak more often, leading to more blue-chip opportunities. If you need to improve your speaking skills, do it! It’s worth the investment.

Free Events: Unless you have a well-established brand, you must educate your market on how they will be better off by working with you. Promote free teleconferences and webinars to add people to your list. Technologies abound that allow for inexpensive and easy ways to reach people all over the world, not only in your geographic area. The more qualified buyers you have on your list, the more potential buyers and recommenders you reach. You may also find that by providing a great resource, people will ask, “If I get this much value for free, I wonder what I would get if I paid her?”

It doesn’t matter what your business is; these methods will work. Regardless of whether you offer professional services, contracting, retail goods, or consulting, the name of the game now is building your community. In order to keep your pipeline portfolio full, you must be vigilant in raising your brand awareness.

When the economy is tough, your customers and prospects need your help more help than ever. They may say there is no money, however if you can help them to increase sales, reduce expenses, or improve their lives, they will find it. It’s a matter of return on investment for them, just like it is for you. You must develop a large pipeline, a deep and wide community, and a loyal group of followers who will buy and recommend from you. And the best time to start is when everyone else is panicking!