WHY ADVERTISING YOUR BUSINESS IN A DOWN ECONOMY IS JUST PLAIN SMART

The news media loves to dump economic doom and gloom on us daily. As we sweat through what may be later known as the recession of 2008, it’s important to keep in mind the opportunity that’s present at this point in time.

Opportunity? I’ll bet that every bone in your body is telling you that the current economy provides anything but. Luckily, there is over 80 years of well-documented research on the critical question of marketing during a recession that can help guide you and your company through these tricky times.

Cycle after cycle since 1923, many big brains have examined the periodic evidence and reached the same conclusion: companies that invest in marketing during a down economy come out ahead. Whether it’s sales, profits, market share, return on capital or total market value, those that spend (or invest) in advertising end up better than the cutters.

Easier said that done, right? I understand the reality; we have a budget to manage with our business too, and we need to be smart with it. On the surface, marketing and advertising seem like easy things to cut back on. “I need to keep the phones on more than I need to place an ad here or set up a booth at that home show,” you may say to yourself. “I can re-start my ad campaign next year.”

The problem with the logic is that effectively marketing your business, even in a recession, is what brings in new sales, which in turn pay the bill to keep the phone on. You need to stay visible, so that you have the image of being stable, and you’re on your prospect’s mind when they need your goods or services.

Another reason to keep advertising going strong is that you may have a chance to grab market share, and even dominate your market. Professor John A. Quelch of Harvard Business School says “It is well documented that brands that increase their advertising during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve return on investment and market share at lower cost than during good economic times.”

Look at it like this; if 10 people are all talking to you at the same time, it’s overwhelming. It’s hard to understand what anyone is saying. But if 9 stop talking, suddenly the one person who’s still talking can be heard loud and clear.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Focus on your core values: Reinforce your brand values with marketing that uses strong and consistent messages. Remind customers and prospects why you’re different… and better.
• Market to your constituency: Define and communicate to your optimum market. Whether that is homeowners with high income, baby boomers with bad vision, or fondue lovers, determine who purchases your product and find marketing that specifically targets them.
• Stay consistent with effective advertising: The long-term benefits are cumulative, and therefore hard to completely measure. If it’s working, stick with it, and over time the rewards will be even greater.

LOCAL MODESTO WEB DESIGN

Have you ever noticed how many web design firms show up on Google when you search your local city or county?  I was quite amazed at how many search results there were for the term Modesto Web Design . I thought that surely there couldn’t be hundreds of web developers that just decided to setup shop in Modesto, CA . So I decided to dig a little deeper and see if I could locate where these web developers are setting up shop in Modesto.

Much to my delight, I was pleased to find that most (90%) of these web design firms are nothing more than agencies posting nationwide advertisements on the search engines to grab a little business from all over this country. Now, dont get me wrong here, I think this is a brilliant business plan and hope to someday pull off this same stunt in one capacity or another. I know that you can amass a fortune by picking up all the pennies you cross in the street.

The reason I write this blog is to report that although there are lots of people out there seeking cheap, no frills websites, there are many local Modesto business owners who want to be able to meet face-to-face and sit down to put their website together. I know that these people want to look you in the eye and explain to you who they are, where they are going and why they need your help to get there. This is where My Pro Tech Solutions comes in and puts the personal touch back into business.

Here at My Pro, we are glad to shake your hand, sit down with you over a cup of joe or in your company board room and hammer out the details of your vision. We specialize in custom sites, made to order, and optimized to be search engine friendly. We know what it takes to claim your spot on the world wide web and we look forward tot he partnership we will forge with your business. We like to think that we are a small business out to help and partner with small businesses. We have to stick together in this world if we are going to survive.

So the next time your considering a new business, cleaning up an old one or just looking for a fresh start, please give us a call. We look forward to helping you with all your online marketing needs in Modesto.