Before the Great Depression, Post dominated packaged cereal. Predictability, Post cut way back on advertising while Kellogg\u2019s doubled its marketing budget. By 1933, even as the economy plummeted, Kellogg\u2019s profits had risen almost 30 percent and afterwards became the industry\u2019s dominate player.<\/p>\n
Now, I\u2019m not telling you to spend your cash like it\u2019s 1999 (or 1929). You still have to be smart about where you spend your marketing dollars. Your specific plan will depend on your target market and your unique objectives. During down times, you should generally focus on measurable, direct-impact marketing media \u2013 the stuff that will bring in actual sales now.<\/p>\n
Here are a few proven marketing ideas that will bring you results during good times or bad:<\/p>\n
Search Engine Optimization<\/strong><\/a> PPC Search Marketing<\/strong> PPC Contextual Advertising<\/strong> Affiliate Marketing<\/strong> Email Marketing<\/strong><\/a> Joint Ventures<\/strong> Direct Mail<\/strong> Each marketing plan is different. So make sure to customize it to meet your objectives. Test everything<\/em>. Ditch what doesn\u2019t work and increase spending on what does. Don\u2019t let a recession get in the way of reaching success.<\/p>\n – Dave<\/em><\/p>\n
\nIf your website shows up on the first page of results for your keywords, you will get a constant flow of customers who are looking for exactly what you have to offer. Aside from increased traffic and sales, getting to the top of the search engines will build your reputation as a leader in your industry.<\/p>\n
\nPay-per-click (PPC) advertising offers more targeting control than organic search, and you can limit your campaign to specific geographic regions or time of day. Have a professional set up and manage your campaign and you\u2019ll see a huge difference in results.<\/p>\n
\nMany people assume that content network ads don\u2019t perform as well as search. This is true some of the time, but not always. Average cost per click is often lower with contextual ads, so you can achieve comparable results to your search ads even if the conversion rate is lower. However, just because you can display your search ads in the content network doesn\u2019t mean you should. Since people seeing these ads didn\u2019t necessarily search for your keywords, you need to use an ad that matches their frame of mind.<\/p>\n
\nThe allure of this tactic is: you can get thousands of websites to promote you, and you only pay for completed sales. But, it\u2019s a lot harder than it sounds. If you are generous with your payouts and treat your affiliates right, this channel can have a big affect on your company\u2019s sales.<\/p>\n
\nIt costs 10 times more to acquire a new customer than to sell to an existing customer. Effective email marketing will help nurture relationships and retain existing customers. Send customers and prospects good offers and valuable information. Customize everything to their specific needs and let them know how you can help them.<\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s smart to use your own customer list, and it\u2019s also smart to leverage the loyal customer base of partner companies. Pay your partner a commission for sales they generate, or cross-promote their products to your customer list.<\/p>\n
\nResponse rates for direct mail campaigns are way down, and non-targeted campaigns are usually a waste. But if you target the right list with the right message and the right offer, direct mail can work magic. If all your competitors are sending email, a personalized letter in the mail will stand out.<\/p>\n
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