3CMA Presentation at Lake Tahoe

How to Market and Communicate in Tough

Economic Times

Remember Nothing Else

Communications programs are getting cut. That’s an opportunity for you, leaving more need for content with all media.

Remember Nothing Else

Newsrooms and other media are cutting back. Again, an opportunity to provide content of all kinds.

Defend your resources:

Know your communications ROIConduct a communications metrics auditGet all of the reports you can:

Web traffic/Google Analytics YouTube ReportsEarned Media

Prioritize the top producers

Make wise decisions if you have to pare back. If you can’t figure out if an activity, ad campaign, etc., is effective, consider it on the chopping block.

Five reasons to keep PR going

1. PR is credible – key in a recession

2. Myriad of techniques – important flexibility

3. PR enables us to do more with less

Five reasons to keep PR going

4. PR professionals are more valuable to journalists during a downturn

5. PR is measurable

Don’t pull out!Fight for your resources.

If you stop, the awareness

starts diminishing the day

you stop.

Listen before you cutForm a cost-reduction task force.

Ask those in the trenches. They know where the fat is.

Low-Cost Tactics• Invest in online, less expensive and easier to measure ROI.• Try online events rather than in-person events.•Online continuing education for staff.

Low-Cost Tactics• Test social media sites for some audiences: FaceBook and YouTube make the 30 sec. ad less expensive.• Gravitate what communication you can to e-mail, e-news, Web site applications.

Low-Cost Tactics

• Look for strategic placement when your

advertising dollars are stretched and

reduce frequency.

Employee communication• Don't be shy about talking

with your employees.

• Most good employees want to

know how the business is doing

and how they can help.

Whatever you do….• Be authentic• Be consistent

In this uncertain time, the public --and your employees-- want to hear from you.

There are opportunities!

Crisis = Danger + Opportunity

Addl. Resources: Marketing in Tough Economic Times:

Four Columns Published in Northern Nevada Business Weekly @

http://www.o-apr.com/archive