Don’t Cut Out Advertising

While in a recession, advertising is the first thing businesses think to cut to reduce costs. Ironically, cutting back on marketing could potentially hurt your business more than anything else. The thought is that advertising can be costly, so businesses hope people will remember them merely through memory or word-of-mouth. This may work for the exceptionally large corporations, but can be detrimental to the smaller companies.

Consistent advertising generates sales. Businesses will lose ground gained in promoting their company by not marketing, so staying consistent is important. The struggle to get back on track after cutting the marketing can be even more harmful than the cost of steady advertising. So instead of cutting marketing advertising look for better ways to advertise without scrambling through your deteriorating wallet.

Here are a few great ways to save costs in advertising:
- Advertise both in print and online.
o Look for bundled packages that include both online and offline buys. Advertising through print-ad can get your name out to potential customers in mass quantity. Depending on the distribution, ads can reach consumers locally, regionally, and possibly nationally. That way your exposure-thriving business can reach a vast amount of people for a smaller price than, say, posting one large ad on a billboard that never moves.
- Promote on your personal and business checks.
o Put your business’s URL and phone number on all of your checks – this costs you nothing.
- You have a designed business logo? Wear it.
o Create apparel for your employees to wear outside the office for the general public to see.
- Hand stamp it.
o According to Entrepenuer.com, an unusual, but effective way to advertise is through hand stamps. If you are sponsoring a local event of any sort, have the ticket collector’s use stamps with your ad on it to grant admission. Having your name on every persons hand just sounds like a good idea.

Overall, a good rule-of-thumb is to make sure to shop and compare multiple marketing prospects – taking time to find the best way to advertise is important.

If done right, businesses can continue to consistently market without worrying about the rapidly dwindling economy. For suggestions on where to advertise try LIVE Publishing, they have an advertising package that includes print ads and online banner ads.

Kayla Peek
LIVE OC
www.LIVEOCMAG.com