How to prepare for the economic upturn

The green shoots of recovery may still be a way off but there are positive signs that the economy is starting to pick up, with the CBI expecting modest growth to return in the first three months of 2010. Five experts share their wisdom on how marketers can prepare for the end of the recession.

Shaun Bailey from agency Jacob Bailey stresses the importance of customer insight and how brands can use it to build their customer base. This doesn’t mean spending less rather it means devoting more thinking time at the start of a campaign. Brands also need to keep up with changing conditions, according to Andrew Smith from Publicis Dialog.  As consumer confidence returns, supermarkets for example can start to incentivise with premium goods rather than their cheaper brands.

Ian Armstrong from Honda (UK) outlines how the car manufacturer has adapted its marketing to cope with a reduced budget without jeopardising its reach. This has meant a smarter direct mail strategy and more search and affiliate marketing. Rosemary Smith from Opt-4 agrees that affiliation between brands will continue to grow but it must be done sensitively so as not to put off potential customers.

Meanwhile, Richard Higginbotham of CDMS emphasises the need to know who your customers are - especially the best ones. He advises how you can find more like them and how to tailor all your marketing communications so that they are relevant to the recipient.