One common mistake business owners make when money gets tight is stopping marketing or cutting their marketing budget. At first glance, it seems wise to cut down your expenses during the current unstable economic conditions. However, in reality, it’s the opposite of what you should do.
When your business is struggling, reducing your marketing budget may further hurt your business. During this time, you should go above and beyond to be in the minds of your current and future customers. With an effective marketing strategy, it is possible to increase sales.
However, if you really need to cut down on spending, here are some steps you can take instead of stopping your marketing efforts.
Be strategic about how you spend your money
First of all, don’t just waste money. This may sound simple, but many business owners are not always mindful of their spending. Be strategic in your spending, and don’t throw money in areas that won’t help contribute to your business growth. For example, if your data suggests that the returns are greater from your online marketing efforts than print ads, you might want to spend more on online ads.
Invest in action campaigns
Are you launching a brand new product, opening a new shop, or running a promotion? Invest in an active campaign that will give your target market all the critical information they need and encourage them to act. Make sure you share all the details such as your exact location, website operating hours, and a discount code for their purchases if you are using one.
Communicate with your target market clearly
Ensure that your message is crystal clear, engaging, and concise. The call-to-action in your message must also be solid and powerful to create the desired action. Whether you just want them to sign up for a newsletter, buy from your mobile app, or get a special offer, your messaging must be clear.
Discuss with your marketing partner/staff and rethink your marketing strategy
You may be working on a hundred other things right now, but you need to make time to discuss with your marketing staff or partner and rethink your strategy. Obtaining fantastic results is not always about doing more marketing. But instead, you have to focus on doing better at it. Stop and think about your frequency, messaging, timing, channels you tap into, and other factors to get the best results.
Final Thoughts
Times may be challenging right now, but try your best to stay on track and use this as an opportunity to build and strengthen your relationship with your customer’s future ones too. Just because you’re on a tight budget doesn’t mean you need to stop marketing and give up a big chance to boost sales.
If you need more focused advice on navigating market challenges and economic downturns, get in touch with us today. Join the Conversation…