The budget has finally been announced, providing, as expected, a mixture of responses. However, no matter how the budget may impact your business, remember that your marketing should be the last thing to feel the strain.

It’s the same old story that we’ve been repeating since the recession hit, but it’s an important one. Marketing spend is one of the most vulnerable sectors when cash flow slows down. Unlike many other departments, marketing is often dismissed as a luxury. After all, getting customers isn’t the be all and end all of business, right?

If costs need to be cut, something has to suffer the blow. But at a time when you’re relying on new sales the most, it isn’t a great idea to stop the source of them. In the short term, marketing budgets can seem extravagant, but they’re crucial for a company’s long term success.

As a marketing company, we’ve seen our fair share of what marketing can do and which companies prosper the most. A successful business needs to move forward, not just tread water. For that to happen, a company needs to constantly bring in new customers and not simply rely on existing ones. Putting your head down and hoping the storm passes is financially draining and ultimately unsustainable. And, even if you do make it through to the other side, you’ll more than likely find that your customers won’t be coming out of the other end along with you.

Keep customers trust:
If a company falls off the radar for a significant length of time, most people will presume they’re struggling – and that’s not a great image to create for potential, or even existing, clients. Buyers like to deal with businesses that they believe are safe and secure, not ones which appear on the verge of going under, and likely to take their hard earned money with them. The companies that keep their brand in the spotlight and establish an image of strength will be the ones rewarded by customer loyalty.

Win a larger market share for less money:
The recession and the new budget will affect millions of people, not just you. Everyone is trying to survive in one way or another. They can usually be split into two groups – those that are going to fight even harder for business, and those that will attempt to tread water (remember them?). The more people that cut their marketing and disappear from public view, the more your marketing efforts will be rewarded. As fewer companies compete for business, and cheaper marketing avenues are offered as incentives, you’ll find yourself with a larger market share for a lower price than normal.

Give offers which reflect the current financial climate:
Just because there is a financial downfall, doesn’t mean that business stops, but it does change the way customers buy. People will be looking for offers and promotions, so it’s your job to offer them what you can. This is the perfect time to reach out and show potential customers why they should buy from you. Adapt your sales to fit the current economic climate and you’ll be reaping the rewards for a long time to come.

There’s a very large World Cup bandwagon going around and everyone is jumping on it. Even anti-football fans can’t escape the abundance of flags and the backdrop of boozy cheers which are erupting around every corner. And with all this excitement surrounding the event, is it any wonder that businesses are scrambling to get in on the action?

The exposure that can be harnessed through an association with the World Cup can be invaluable to businesses globally. Along with all the merchandise (official and non-official) that has been cropping up, there are thousands of companies who have integrated the event into their own products. Walkers crisps have brought out a range of specially created flavours to represent the countries competing, whilst Coca Cola, one of the many World Cup sponsors, has launched the Fifa World Cup Trophy Tour amidst a multitude of other marketing initiatives associated with the event.

Friend vs Folly

But, how good an idea is it to join in the buzz which surrounds the World Cup and can anyone do it?

Depending upon your type of company, there are plenty of opportunities for marketers to exploit the event. For pubs in particular, broadcasting the games and offering mid-match snacks is a natural extension of their business. However, there are more tenuous links being made by companies desperate to keep up with the current trend.

World Cup themed competitions and offers are everywhere, and their popularity depicts a certain amount of success. However, could it be too much of a good thing? The market is so saturated with World Cup related products and offers, is there a chance that the message you’re putting out there is getting lost?

Let us know what you think…

Next time you read a sales letter, pick up a brochure or look at an advertisement, take note of how far you read before you decide whether to keep it or throw it away.

People are busy. They’re working, having meetings, looking after children, shopping etc. They don’t have the spare time to read through every page of sales copy that comes through their door or into their inbox each day. At most, the majority of people will read the first couple of lines before deciding whether or not it deserves any more of their time. This is why it’s crucial to make those opening lines count.

There’s no room for teasers in sales copy. The idea to ‘save the best till last’ isn’t a great one when most people won’t get that far. To save your copy from hurtling straight to the bin, you need to make sure you hook your customers from the off. That means putting any unique selling points, special offers, or great benefits at the beginning.

Yes – this is simple stuff and most of us know it. Unfortunately, there are times that we all forget and instead waste our crucial opening lines wittering on about trivialities.

However, there is one place where you can benefit from putting a selling point last – in the PS. On a quick glance, a PS. stands out. Anybody scanning a document will usually read it along with the first couple of lines. So make sure you a) include one and b) make it count.

The idea that you need to hook your customers from the beginning is something that can also be applied to web pages. Most visitors will require some persuasion before they will take the effort to scroll down the page. So, it’s your job to persuade them and you have half a page to do it.

Remember, the world moves fast. If you want to catch new customers you need to be clear, concise and to the point.