My daughter and future son-in-law are out looking for a house – great time to buy – great interest rates – beautiful time of year to see the yards at their best and anxious sellers who are lowering their prices. Sounds like an ideal situation – they even have the down payment and a pre-approved mortgage from the bank.

This positive scenario in the murk of foreclosures and financial market losses brings me to reflect on what good we can find in hard times. If companies are cutting back and slowing down, they have to focus on what will work for them at a manageable cost. Their marketing needs do not go away; sometimes they just have to be re-focused.

The company that has never looked at cross-media and personalized marketing might benefit greatly by speaking directly to the audience they are looking to do business with. Or the firm that has always relied on traditional printing may discover that digital printing is more cost effective. Possibly a variable message to multiple demographics would be more effective than a universal pitch to the masses. Creative presentations which more closely match the needs of a customer are especially needed in slower times. 

-  When the economy is slow, you might save your customers money by offering multiple solutions to their marketing needs, just as home sellers are staging their properties

-  When one proposal does not fit all needs, vary the message and stand out in the market

-  When the market gets more competitive, do some research to make a match with pre-approved resources

-  Put your energies into relationships and use the trust you have built over the years to deliver, as always, exceptional customer service

Life is circular… hard times happen… creative perspectives help. 

Choose imagination. Expect results.™