Six Keys To Marketing In A Recession

Here are six action steps to creating a marketing plan that will see you through the recession:

Don't cut your advertising budget, increase it. When you increase your spending you increase your share of voice. When competitors cut back, your message grows even stronger.

Develop a plan - don't waste money advertising the wrong message in the wrong place to the wrong audience. Promotional products deliver your personal branding message to your targeted audience of choice.

Achieve greater media efficiency by using the most cost effective advertising medium - promotional products (less expensive per impression than almost any other media).

Keep your friends. Keep in touch with loyal customers and let them know what you have to offer. Use branded gifts to say thank you as part of a customer loyalty program.

Reassure customers. Buyers need to feel they are minimizing risk by doing business with you. Show your strength with a promotional gift that says, "We are still here and ready to help."

Maintain continuity. The key to advertising is frequency and repetition. If not reminded about your brand, people will forget you. Promotional items are kept on average for seven months and many are used multiple times every day...that's almost constant brand exposure

TRADE SHOWS CONTINUED

You want to select items that will be taken home or to the office and used every day.

Guaranteed, the novelty of "cutesy" products quickly lose their pizazz. You need to choose items that will be used every day. Your objective is to keep your message in front of your clients and prospects as much as possible. Wall calendars, desk calendars, pocket date books, drinkware, totes, adhesive note pads, pens, business card holders, USB flash drives, caps and shirts.

Desk top "real estate" is very valuable property. Choose the best items that have longevity, high perceived value and will have constant use.

TRADE SHOWS

There are many aspects of promotional advertising. I thought it would be interesting to discuss Trade Shows.

Trade Shows are one of the best ways to introduce new services/ products and create product awareness.

Because of the economy, you may be tempted to curtail your participation in trade shows. However, if your competition is doing just that, this would be an ideal time to gain a larger share of the market for your business. Your customers and prospects are still looking for solutions that you can offer to them, but they must be aware of your presence.

Using the right promotional product will attract visitor, create goodwill and help generate strong leads that will ultimately increase your business.

You need to carefully select the right promotional items that are useful to insure they will not be thrown away after the show. Cheap items can damage your image. Remember the last time you received a pen that did not write?

Use a better item and be more selective who receives them. Collect pertinent information from the prospect before you offer them a gift. This way you can control the distribution and eliminate waste. This will save money and stretch your budget.

Items that are well received at trade shows are bags, plastic and cotton. Be sure recipients get them early in the show so they become a walking billboard for you. All other vendors materials will be inside the bag.