A hundred years of practical experience and academic research proves that cutting marketing budgets during tough times is the worst thing you can do. Most do it, simply because it is easy, seems sensible to the uninitiated, and often prevents yelling from the corner office.
This provides great opportunity for those who hold their nerve.
Brands are built by having a ‘share of voice‘ greater than their market share over time. Brand building is a long-term exercise, which becomes cheaper in a recession, as others cut their expenditure, demand for advertising space drops, so does the price as a result, and your customer is more likely to see your ads in a less cluttered environment.
This is a strategic investment.
You should reduce the existing tactical, promotional deals if you can, as they are costs to the bottom line, not investments in your brand. You might get a short-term volume bump, but the added volume rarely replaces the margin lost from the discount.
Do the maths before you agree to the discount.
How much extra volume do you need from the promotion to recover the margin surrendered? Consider also the customers perception of the ‘right price’ for your product. Have you just lowered it?
You can cut yourself to oblivion, easily, while being clapped from the sidelines. Usually those clapping control access to consumers, as do supermarkets, or are those customers who would have been happy to pay more.
Do not miss the opportunity to build your brand while your competitors are hunkered down giving discounts in an effort to maintain volume, while destroying long term commercial sustainability.
Header credit Tom Fishburne at marketoonist, who very effectively pokes fun at marketing hubris.
