Part III: Stretching Dollars

In this economy, marketing budgets have to stretch like a contortionist at a taffy pull. As a warm-up, here are 10 ideas for getting the most from your dollars.

1. Define success. Decide what you want your marketing program to accomplish and how you’ll measure the results. That yardstick may be as formal as ROI or as simple as winning business from a coveted client. As long as you don’t spend more on marketing than you get back in revenues, you can call it success.
2. Consolidate your team. Get the right people on board with your marketing efforts, from the C suite to your outside resources. Multi-taskers who can fill a range of roles will ultimately save you time, stress and money.
3. Work smart. Solid planning and frequent check-ins with your team can save costly missteps.
4. Integrate tactics. One-off marketing maneuvers rarely pay for themselves. Consolidated campaigns give you more bang for your buck.
5. Target and micro-target. Which audiences within your market bring you the most business? Which ones bring you the most profitable business? Spend on them.
6. Skip ad spend. Advertising needs frequency and repetition to be effective. Unless you have that kind of money in the budget, move ad dollars to other tactics.
7. Go digital. Compare the cost of offset printing with digital press or print-on-demand services. Or produce pieces electronically. (We created an online-only annual report for one of our clients this year — no print costs!)
8. Waste not. If you must print, look for ways to save on paper and postage. Changing print dimensions or gang-printing pieces together can make a big difference.
9. Don’t get caught scrimping. Cheap is good. Looking cheap is bad. Spend where you must, and cut costs where no one will notice.
10. Listen. Listening costs nothing, except maybe lunch. Every chance you get, tune in to the marketplace buzz. The payoff can be priceless.

More ideas? Share them here!

Part II: Top-priority Tactics

Even in lean times, marketing shouldn’t waste away. But how can you best ration your marketing dollars? Here are four tactics you can tackle without breaking the bank: Read the rest of this entry »

To survive the “great recession,” many businesses are changing what they do, how they do it and for whom. In short, they’re changing their brand. But just shifting focus or adding a new service line doesn’t necessarily generate business, especially if you’re entering an already crowded field. How do you stand out from the (new) pack and turn a good idea into good business? Read the rest of this entry »

When money’s tight, marketing naturally takes a hit. But businesses that drop marketing altogether can find themselves sidelined as the economy gets back on its feet. The challenge is finding the best places to put marketing dollars while the economy recovers. To help, we’ve put together this protocol for Recession Marketing Triage.

Part I: Brand-Aid on a Budget

Now, while you have time, step back and take a hard look at your business, your industry, your competitors and your future. To start: Read the rest of this entry »

A number of services offer businesses an easy and affordable way to design and distribute their own e-blasts. But as we’ve said before, there are pitfalls in DIY marketing, and e-blasts are no exception.

If you want to make your blast as effective as it is convenient, you’ll need to put on your marketing consultant hat. Start by asking yourself these questions: Read the rest of this entry »