Just when we thought things were getting better and the Government was starting to ease austerity, Coronavirus hits and we’re fighting the biggest fight that most of us have ever known.
Businesses closed, working from home and social distancing have forced changes upon us that we didn’t see coming. Despite the imminent danger of the virus itself, a very real one for when this is all under control is the possibility of a global recession that will almost certainly deal a heavy blow for many businesses.
This is why it is important, in our humble opinion, to keep on with your marketing if you have the ability and the budgets where necessary to do so.
Marketing costs
Yes, marketing does cost and it’s not tangible like the ‘whatsits’ that make up part of your ‘thingamabobs’, but to cut marketing budget at a time of slow turnover can be a bad business decision.
Your market may be shrinking, your leads may be drying up, but you simply must keep communicating with the customers that you do have whilst trying to reach those that can still do business. Remember, your competition might just be cutting their budget so it can increase your chances of regaining market share and your voice will be stronger too.
Furthermore, with less competition for spending that budget, you might also get better value for your money and more cost-effective rates for the activity you do. It could even be the time to increase spend and try methods you’ve not tried before!
Recommendations
There is no guarantee that what you do or what you spend will have the required results, but you will not know if you do not try. It is therefore important to spend time researching your market and making sure that your message is going to the right audience. Develop some core offers and enhancements that will entice potential customers to try your product or service. Focus on delivering the very best customer experience possible and go that extra mile to show how you can make a difference.
At Blue Print Direct Mail, we can help with this by offering a comprehensive range of services to deliver high quality personalised direct mail campaigns from just one to a million records.
Creative – design, advice or support
Data – audit with cleaning and sorting where agreed
Production – print, matching, finishing and fulfilment
Postage – agreed costs after efficiency savings discussions
Returns – managing gone-aways and related items
Print and stock management – taking things off your hands
In summary
Yes, your marketing will need to change during this time but that doesn’t necessarily mean cutting spend. It is important to make sure however that you are keeping a tight rein on those funds and assessing results closely.
Use this time to be a stronger voice in your market and remember it’s important to use every opportunity to sustain and grow.
http://www.blueprintdirectmail.co.uk/