While there is evidence supporting the argument that America is pulling out of the economic doldrums, the fact of the matter is that things are still pretty tough out there.  When money is tight, one of the last things you may want to do for your business is spend more money.

While I certainly agree that every dollar counts, and that funds need to be spent as shrewdly as ever, they still need to be spent.  It’s shocking to some, but in a growth mode, conventional marketing wisdom suggests 5-10% of a company’s TOTAL revenue be reinvested in marketing efforts (the fluctuation depending on whether the company is in a “growth mode” or not).

So, it’s important to keep your brand out there, no matter the economic landscape.  And let me offer an encouraging piece of info to those wary about advertising in a down market:  when your competition is spending less on ads, your ads have more impact.  Furthermore (since- really- EVERY ad out there is in competition with yours), when total advertising spend is down, there’s less “noise” in the marketplace.  Less ads out there mean that your message has a better probability of being seen by a consumer, thus increasing the value.

So always look at the cup as half-full.  In a good market, there are more potential buyers out there, but a smaller chance of them seeing the message.  In a down market, buyers are less plentiful, but messaging is more powerful.  As you all know, though:  no matter the market, there are ALWAYS buyers.  So go get ‘em!

If you want to learn more about marketing, I highly recommend the iconic book by Al Ries and Jack Trout:  Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind.