Because you’re open. Simply put, if you’re open for business, you need to market your business. If you stop, customers can easily forget about you or even assume you’re no longer around. If you’re not visible, you may not be considered as a choice when your customers are buying.
Because bad times = good opportunities. In a slow economy, some of your competitors will likely pull back on their marketing, downsize, or even go out of business. When the pie becomes smaller, your slice becomes comparatively bigger, and your odds of securing new customers greater.
Because repetition works. It’s often said that consumers don’t fully recall brands until they’ve seen them 6 or 7 times. Without realizing it, people tend to drift over ads that are less familiar and linger on ads they recognize—so don’t advertise once or twice and expect to see direct results. Repetition pays off.
Because confidence matters. Advertising, particularly in a well-regarded medium, indicates confidence in your business. Your visibility in the marketplace lends credibility to your organization and makes people feel secure about doing business with you. Customers want to do business with winners, so it’s important not to let your insecurity show.
Because you’re good under the hood. Consumers tend to research their purchases more during difficult economic times. They’ll pay more attention to advertising and take the time to read the small print. Don’t be left out of consideration; instead, make more of an effort to let them know you’re a safe bet.
Because tough times make tough customers. The economy may be slowly recovering, but until the outlook is rosy, many consumers will pull back on their wants and focus more on their needs. Even in a recession, people still buy gifts and reward themselves occasionally for working harder. Can you capitalize on this?
Because customers love to jump on a deal. If you’ve shied away from offering discounts and sales incentives in the past, a slow economy may be a good time to test the waters on this tactic.
Because you have more advertising choice than ever. If cash flow is a problem, you may need to be more creative and take advantage of the growing multitude of advertising choices to keep your business visible. If you need to pull back on expensive media, replace it with less-expensive alternatives.