A Strategic Action Plan for Recession Resistant Marketing

By J. Glenn Ebersole

As the U.S. and the global economies move up and down, there is always some talk that arises about concern of a worldwide recession. Let's acknowledge that we are sometimes over-run by pessimists. When the pessimists start talking up a recession, people start to worry, get scared and begin to develop contingency plans. So what would a strategic thinking professional do to make his or her business recession resistant? There is one thing that must be crystal clear -- you must never stop marketing! If you stop marketing, your business will fail.

Using a strategic thinking and business coach approach, here is my recommended strategic action plan for recession resistant marketing.
  1. NEVER STOP MARKETING! Marketing is a continuous, not an intermittent or sometimes endeavor.
  2. Contact and reactivate past clients. Call them or send them a letter, but make sure you contact them.
  3. Deliver consistent superior service to your clients. Create a WOW factor with your service.
  4. Develop your 100 most desired clients list and plan an aggressive business marketing campaign to retain existing clients and attain new clients.
  5. Develop and implement an effective Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Plan.
  6. Develop and implement a contact strategy so you will gain "Top Of Mind Awareness" by being in regular contact with your clients and prospects.
  7. Employ cross selling and up selling tactics to increase revenue from new and existing clients.
  8. NETWORK! NETWORK! NETWORK!
  9. Develop and follow a yearlong marketing activity plan.
  10. Continuously test and evaluate your marketing tactics and strategies.

The above strategic action plan provides solid advice to follow in good or bad economic situations. But a commitment to each action in the plan is imperative.

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© Copyright 2009 by Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc. Ann Arbor, MI -- Reprint permission granted with full attribution.