We may technically be in the midst of the biggest recession since the Great Depression, but I keep coming up against businesses that are doing extraordinarily well. The question is why? Actually, the answer is deceptively simple – they are positive, good at what they do and are shouting about it from the rooftops!
Okay, it’s not quite as simple as merely shouting louder than anyone else, but good marketing in economically challenging times is even more important than when business is booming.
Indeed, research shows that a slump creates opportunity to accelerate growth faster than the competition. This means it may well be the best time to step up marketing activities; at least in quality if not quantity.
Unlike previous recessions there are now many more media options available for companies – not all of them, though, are that effective. There has been much talk in recent years about online marketing, including social networking sites such as Facebook. This may be a great route to take for companies in certain sectors, such as IT, and for those living in ‘geek city’, but let’s be honest, how long do most construction professionals spend blogging or updating their profile?
The truth is that those who do spend enormous amounts of time online are exactly the same people whose companies are in trouble. Online ‘marketing’ is too time-consuming and badly targeted. I place ‘online marketing’ in quotes because once employees go online not a lot of marketing gets done – they are usually too busy talking to their ‘friends’ around the world.
And here, of course, I use the term ‘friends’ loosely as they’ve never met them.
The fact is that conventional marketing still gets the best results, and that includes press advertising, magazine profiles (naturally!), direct marketing and other low-tech approaches. As with every other area of business, though, it’s the people who really make the difference – good managers are priceless. But how do we define a ‘good manager’? I only ask because I read a definition recently that, and I paraphrase, went something like this:
‘A manager is a resource. The main job of someone in management is to be a resource to the people who work for the company. That means setting direction for them. It means kicking their asses if they lag. It means teaching those under them how to deal with increasingly complex assignments. There is also role-modelling and critiquing. All of that is teaching. A manager is a teacher. If your manager is not teaching he or she is a liability – get shut.’
This is one of the most accurate statements I’ve ever come across. Because while some companies are blaming the recession for their failures, others have talented, highly qualified people in place who are driving their firm forwards. Good marketing in tandem with good management in a recession provides a much better chance for success. It’s an unbeatable combination and if you’ve got people who bring fresh ideas to the table every day and understand their industries inside out, you can still thrive even as Rome (or in today’s world, Athens) burns.
You are good at what you do. Tell people! And if people don’t know, take a look at your management and ‘get shut’.
Rod Millington
Editor
