Aplus.net Blog

It’s official — the U.S. is in a recession. With that in mind, we share with you a very helpful list outlining five great marketing strategy “dos and don’ts” for the (likely) rough year ahead.

The following is a summary of the list (by Copernicus Marketing Consulting):

1. DO Watch Your Marketing Spending. Spending more on marketing doesn’t always equal better results. There are proven marketing tactics that work no matter what shape the economy is in. Best to spend some time studying up on what works best for your market than to simply throw more money at the problem (i.e., boost your strategy before you boost your budget).

2. DON’T Buy Into the Price-Cut Trap. Especially if you’re selling something that people will need or want even when their wallets are hurting, it isn’t always a smart move to cut your prices at the first sign of economic difficulty. Price-cutting is often a one-way street; if you lower them now, customers aren’t going to be happy when you inevitably raise them again in the future.

3. DON’T Go Negative. Forget what works in politics! Bad-mouthing a competitor in ads makes you look like you don’t have any ideas of your own, and gives your competitor free exposure (there’s no such thing as bad press, as the saying goes).

4. DO See Your Product from Your Customers’ Eyes. The best way to keep selling during a recession is to empathize with your customers. Don’t guess at what they want — ask them and find out for sure.

5. DO Keep Looking for the Big Opportunity. Times of recession create unique opportunities. Consumers have different needs and wants during economic downturns — figure out what’s most important to your customers these days, and make sure they know they can count on you to provide it!