Branding is something that most companies want to forget about when times get challenging. We have all had to sit down and look over a budget and decide what has to be cut or managed differently. Cutting your advertising and branding is a huge mistake. Branding in a down market is a difficult decision, because everything inside of you is screaming, "CUT THE BUDGETS, SAVE MONEY!" Your competitors are saying and doing that exact thing, cutting their advertising. This is the time to take market share away from them and stay in front of your audience! While they cut back and lose clients to your company, because you had the foresight to weather the storm. It's a gamble, but with the risk comes the rewards. When the market turns and you have had your message in front of the audience the entire time you will be poised to cash in on that gamble and your competitors will continue to lose market share to your company.
I will go into more specific examples and information about how to get the most from your dollar in a down market with your advertising in later installments.
