Marketing in Tough Times: Not-So-Remote Possibilities

In my household, I seldom have control over the remote. In fact, I have come to believe that it is somehow repelled by estrogen, like some sort of reverse magnet.

If I were in charge of the remote, I’m quite certain that I’d be keeping it busy. Between politics, the economy, frenzied fuel headlines, and the lack-luster prime time offerings…frankly, it seems as if we can’t find much to watch at all. And, what we do find seldom leaves us feeling warm and fuzzy.

Consumers are restless, and they are changing channels. They are looking for a bit of good news…anywhere.

As marketers, we know that we must continue to advertise, even in lean economic times. That may seem counter intuitive, but it’s true. If you wait around for things to get better, you will most surely lose any foothold you already have; believe me, there is no shortage of hungry competitors just waiting for you to throw in the towel.

I can almost hear you say, “But Traci, I can’t afford to advertise right now!” All sugar-coating aside, friends…you can’t afford not to advertise. I’m certainly not suggesting breaking the bank with pay-per-click ads, or taking out a second mortgage so you can do a direct-mailing.

Instead, allow your creativity to assume control of the remote.

Take a chapter from the networks’ playbook — during the course of broadcasting all those reruns, they bank on the fact that some of those episodes will be new to you. Hmm…not a bad idea, right?

Start thinking of new ways to market yourself. How can you adapt an existing product or service for a new market? What can you repackage, reformat, revamp, or rename in order to create something new?

Dust off back issues of your newsletter and create a “best of” ebook. Find collateral affiliate links that you can embed into the content, and offer it as a give away. Good quality content is likely to become viral. You may also want to repurpose old newsletters or articles into audio or video content (think iTunes and YouTube).

What about episode “cross-overs?” Consider reaching out to those who have a complimentary (but not competitive) business — you can pitch ad swaps, joint ventures, and special offers — essentially anything that creates a win for both of you.

In terms of your promotional efforts, there are plenty of things that you can do during the lean months that can help keep you afloat. Options like article marketing, search engine optimization, affiliate marketing, and press releases can be viable (and valuable) alternatives when budgets look bleak.

Finally, don’t make snap judgements. It’s difficult to focus when you are zipping around the dial at near light speed. Slow down that clicker-finger, and you are likely to uncover a few gems that you knew were there.

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