Do more with less during a recession

The key is to do more with less.

Rigorously question your marketing strategy. What is it intended to achieve? How will it encourage brand loyalty? What barrier to purchase does it address? Will it make the brand seem worth paying more for? Or will it create the impression that this is a cheap brand? “Because the stakes are higher when money is tight, it's important that you feel confident your investment will provide a good return,” Gullan says.

There's no rule of thumb when it comes to marketing tools during a recession. “The key is to find those tools that work best for your brand,” Gullan advises.

Revise your army of messages during a recession

Retreat into the creative barracks and regroup, because your current army of marketing messages probably won't work during a recession. And research suggests your focus shouldn't be aspirational, optimistic and light-hearted. Rather offer reassurance, emphasise value and empower consumers with information. Now is the time for long copy ads, advertorials and directing your target market to your website - that is rich with info. During a recession - information is right on target.

“During a recession, your existing customer base is your biggest asset. A downturn is the time to solidify the relationships between your brand and customers so they remember you when times get better,” says Gullan. And according to research, direct marketing is the best relationship solidifier.

Take a sniper approach and only focus on those audiences with the highest potential of yielding results. In addition, sharpen your pen before entering the recession battleground. Distill your message into essential copy points that best convey your offering. Remember, offer reassurance, emphasise value and reinforce the benefits of your brand.

Interact during a recession

When consumer spending slows down, conversation flourishes. Social media are powerful during an economic downturn because they are about consideration and people connecting with other people. For example, if a buddy tells you that a movie is really worth seeing, chances are you'll go see the film. And social applications such as blogs and facebook pages are practically free to maintain. And a highly effective marketing weapon when waging war against tight wallets.

During an economic slowdown the perceived value of a brand becomes dangerously vulnerable. Consumers make basic decisions about whether or not they will pay a premium price for their favourite brand. “Pressed by economic realities, customers could easily abandon their favourite and turn to a generic version,” Gullan notes.

The bottom line? Protect your brand by building a powerful case for its uniqueness. Focus on distinctive attributes, unique enough to keep your customers loyal when budgets are tight. A strong strategy will not only carry you through tough times. It will also strengthen your market position when the recession shackles are removed.

They search, you attack

During a recession consumers not only spend less, they are also more selective. This often results in longer pre-purchase indecision and pay per click (PPC) advertising. Great news for marketers who realise the importance of search engine optimisation (SEO). This is an excellent time to refresh your online keyword marketing. Words such as quality, value, reliability and best price will become prevalent in online searches.