Keep on Marketing Despite Bad Economy

With the economy going down businesses have realized they have to cut corners somewhere. That somewhere comes from the seemingly least important aspect of their survival, marketing. It does cost a lot, repeats the same message over and over, and is really only there to let the consumer know your business is still alive (if you are an already established business).

If you're preparing yourself for lower sales as well, then this is the route to go. Without commercials, whether or not consumers recognize you are still around, your business will begin to crumble. Normally the effects of marketing seen in healthy economic times are not all that apparent. However, such as after the Great Depression, the companies that did continue marketing made a huge increase in profit, especially when people had money again.

Marketing also makes people think your company is better. Let's take an established company, such as Stop & Shop, and pit them against Shop Rite. They are rather even, but one were to stop their marketing sales would quickly plummet. If Stop & Shop stopped, then the consumer would believe that they are receiving less money from people. Instead of taking on a charitable mind and going there to help them out, they gravitate towards the stronger company. In this case, it would be since there is no marketing it means they have less money, since they have less money they are cutting corners. Corners is plural, meaning there is more than one thing they are cutting from, such as quality of food. I then would want to go with the stronger company since they have enough sense to continue showing that they are making enough for advertisements.

It reads as childish, but that is how the mind goes. You do not want to shop at a company that cannot spend the extra money. To the consumer it spells out subpar quality, service, employees and managers, etc. In other businesses, such as cars, they would believe the cars are ready to fall apart as soon as you get them. Now, if even marketing is the only thing you shirk on, any bad word of mouth ("my car broke down," "this melon is rotten," "my copies came out bad") is going to be proceeded with the thought that they have not seen your commercials often. Thereby explaining why quality is so low. As where if you are marketing, they same bad comments would be received less harshly.

Considering the harder times, with other companies pulling from their marketing, it would be easier to assert yourself in the field. TV stations will be willing to give you air time for less, since they do need money. So find some capable marketers and keep marketing. Unless, of course, you want to appear weak and have your company die a slow death.