Digital Wandering

The recession in our country is real. In most cases, it’s the same everywhere else in the world. Most businesses are cutting costs wherever they can, making their operations run on the bare essentials. For the most part, running “lean and mean” is a great idea; however, reacting too hastily may cause some companies to make poor decisions. In a sinking ship, it’s standard protocol to jettison items that are not essential, with the heaviest items considered first. To stay afloat, most business owners and/or boards run down their expense charts to find the “heavy” items and quickly decide which must go. More often than not, marketing is one of the first to be cut or altogether discarded. History and research tells us that this is a grave mistake.Every recession that has occurred since WW II has rewarded the companies that have implemented an aggressive advertising and marketing campaign. In fact, EasyAzon the companies that maintained or increased their marketing and advertising out-paced all other competitors that initiated cut-backs in their promotional efforts. [from the research firm, Meldrum & Fewsmith].Finding Clarity In A Time Of DangerI’m no economist, but common sense tells me that cutting advertising and marketing is one of the worst decisions a company can make during a recession. It’s like trying to sell your house with no sign in the yard, no ad in the paper, and no real estate agent – don’t bother with packing boxes. To keep the lights on, you must make changes that won’t sacrifice profit. The decision to increase your marketing efforts must be rooted in logic- you must be able to prove that what you’re spending money on is working, and will continue to keep working.Assess EffectivenessIf you haven’t been seriously tracking and analyzing your marketing efforts- now is the time.