Tough times energize creative thinking
The temptation during difficult economic times is to react with fear. Cut back on marketing, commission ads that scream discounts and so on.
I have some advice for you. Take a deep breath. There's never been a better time to differentiate your business than now.
Think about it. Chances are your competition isn't advertising as much so your ads have a better chance of being noticed. But a word of warning. Rather than having your agency create ads that offer discounts and premiums galore, now is the time to engage your target audience with some of the best, most creative work you've ever seen.
People love stories. And they love products and services that come with a story, a narrative that creates meaning. Involve people with your product in a memorable way. Build on that experience through all of your advertising and promotional vehicles. What a powerful strategy for capturing the spotlight...and making sales.
Social trends say we are staying at home more. Which means we are connecting with people we know. Blogs, social networks and email marketing are credible, relatively inexpensive ways of creating buzz. While advertising on the internet has yet to prove itself, figuring out how your target thinks and acts can help identify opportunities in the digital world...and beyond.
And let's not forget the role of public relations in tough times. The press will give your product or service lineage if you have an interesting story to tell, especially one that relates to the current economy.
Lay those fears aside. We've got some creative work to do.