Archive for June, 2009

Guest post by Diane Stahl, Vice President of Marketing for Rubeling & Associates, Inc.

This is the third economic downturn I’ve experienced in my 30-year career in the building industry.  My advice for those new to marketing in tough times is first, “don’t panic” and second, “know that recessions don’t last forever and the actions you take today will position your firm for even greater success when it is over.”

My outline for securing this success includes:

• Maintain contact with existing clients. You are not calling to ask for work.  Your purpose in staying in touch with these clients is to let them know that the company is surviving and is also available to assist them in any way they may need.  This call is also a good opportunity to affirm your firm’s relationship value by discussing how the downturn has affected the client’s business and markets, and share mutual challenges.

• Don’t cut back on tactics that work. Most firms do decrease their marketing budgets during lean times, but whether it’s an ad, a mailer, or a sponsorship, if it has brought positive feedback, keep doing it.  If you can’t afford the full fare, cut back on the amount or size, but keep doing it.

• Make the best use of downtime. Every company has Marketing materials that have been sitting on a back burner that need to be “tweaked”.  When you are not up against a deadline, your time is best spent examining these materials as the whole promotional package instead of trying to make alterations with each qualifications submission.

• Talk with vendors / suppliers / contractors. They are a great resource of information on your prospects, your competitors, and when the signs of the upturn begin to show.

• Research, research, research. Now is the time to fill those databases to the maximum.

• Look at your market association memberships. What services do they offer that you haven’t taken full advantage of yet?  Your company has probably been a member for years, but it’s also most likely been years since you checked out the variety of services the organization has to offer.

• Keep the two-fold goal in mind. Yes, your goal is to help your firm through this downturn, but the bigger picture is that your actions are also positioning the company for future growth.