Marketing in a Recession
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Transcript of Marketing in a Recession
2 Choices
• Get tough! Get smart! Get loud!• Market your way through the downturn• Why would you cut the resources that ensure your
brand remains front & center?
“Brands that increase (marketing) during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times.”
» Marketing Your Way Through a Recession
» Published: March 3, 2008
• Nail your Sales and Marketing message.
• Pound your competitors’ shortcomings. – They’re hurting and they will be quiet.
Take the offensive.
• In a downturn, aggressive PR and Communications strategy is key.
» Doug Leone, Sequoia Capital» Mandatory CEO All-Hands Meeting, Sand Hill Road» Oct. 9, 2008
Remember the Basics
• You don’t need to reach EVERYBODY• You just need to reach the people who will
buy your stuff
What to Do?
• Focus on impact!
• What do you kill?– SEM (PPC) – Good SEO is cheaper, more effective– Advertising – it’s expensive; it’s hit-or-miss– Layers – cut internal staff– Events – box-up the booth; visibility = speeches
What to Do?
• Where do you double-down?– Content creation – thought leadership
+ findability– SEO – findability – Listening – responsiveness scores points;
identifies red flags early on– PR – thought leadership + promotion
(read: findability) + responsiveness
Whaddaya Mean by “Content Creation?”TODAY• We got the CEO a speaking gig!
– Media advisory!– Bylined article!– Proactive pitches! – On-the-floor interviews!– Go home!
TOMORROW• We got the CEO a speaking gig!
– Let’s send a camera crew along• Interview her on the way to the event• Podcast from a conference room• Document hallway chatter• Film or livestream the speech
– Share content all along the way• Twitpic & Utterz from the floor• #tag, tweet & liveblog the process
– Monitor response; interact with users– Do “the traditional PR stuff” too
• Content creates ongoing “exposure opportunities” … empowers your communities … boosts SEO …
“But My Prospects Don’t Tweet!”
• Chances are, most of your buyers don’t tweet, utter, flick, or ‘tube!
• Don’t matter. Not a lick.
’s SOCIAL MEDIA
What About PR?
• PR is totally $%#@’ing necessary• For the FTE cost of 1 senior PR pro, agencies
will give you 5! - strategists, tacticians, writers, etc.
• PR provides 3rd party validation– MSM is influential
• Most buyers still prefer a MSM write-up to a blog post (CREDIBILITY)• Most MSM sites have better PageRanks than blogs (FINDABILITY)• Agencies have long-standing relationships across the mediasphere,
via several clients (RESULTS)
– Industry Awards! Speaking Opportunities! Social Content Distribution! Oh my!
“Dude, I Need a Checklist”DO
• Listen• Blog• Hire a PR firm• Focus on SEO• Create & publish relevant
content• Distribute content in places
where buyers can be found– Trust good SEO to do the rest
• Measure
DON’T
• Advertise• Pay-per-click• Attend events
– Unless you’ll be a speaker
• Protect your fiefdom– Outsource vs. Hire
• And, Don’t Panic!
• Todd Defren• SHIFT Communications• [email protected]• 617-779-1853• www.shiftcomm.com (web)• www.pr-squared.com (blog)• twitter.com/tdefren (twitter)
Now What?
I’ve got more ideas… Contact me:
C’mon, they only gave me 10 minutes!