Is this the best strategy to weather through the storm? The simple answer is no. In the current economic environment building name recognition and brand loyalty is crucial to empowering consumers to buy. Maybe its time to do some flood control with our marketing efforts by investing in a multi-channel advertising approach as opposed to fishing for the cheapest bait and hoping to get some bites.

A multi-channel advertising approach is the best strategy to reach consumers. It’s important to spend money on traditional advertising like billboards, radio, television and print to drive consumers to a web site. Once a company has saturated themselves in the market than social media is a viable option to continue promoting the business and attracting new business. Social media takes time to build relationships encouraging people to check out the company’s new Facebook, blog and Twitter accounts. The Internet has made unbelievable amounts of information accessible, but it also has contributed to the information overload consumers complain about, so it’s important to provide relevant information.

Now is the time to put a strategic advertising campaign in place. With so many businesses cutting their advertising budgets, think about the market share available. Also several media outlets are running specials or have discounted rates. Consumers are eager to hang up their rain coats and begin spending during sunnier days. Already, they have begun paying closer attention to their mailboxes and inboxes looking and researching for the best deals. A successful marketing campaign does not mean you have to purchase the Rolls Royce limited edition. Smart companies are advertising with al carte options that appeal to their mission.

So before allowing the rising water to swallow up advertising dollars, think about investing in a marketing plan that will have financial survivors shopping again.

1- Use social networking. By utilizing your Twitter, Facebook and other media to promote your event, it gives the recipients an opportunity to pass along the invite. Kind of like that old Clairol commercial, “I told two friends, and they told two friends, and so on, and so on…”

2- Grab your partner – Using your connections, invite your suppliers or dealers to help with the cost of food/drinks in exchange for a booth space to promote their product.

3- Use a Cause – This is great PR for any company! By showing that your company supports a local charity, the word will get out quickly. Offer space for the group and be sure to have any items they seek included in your event information. (Be sure to keep it economical)

4- A Theme is just a theme – NOT! People want to have fun now so why not promote your event with a theme. Look at the calendar or what local events are coming up and tie into those. People usually remember the fun ones for a long time!

5- Smile! – While people don’t really like have a candid camera in their face while scarfing down on an appetizer, be sure to get plenty of group shots and post them to your social networking sites. When people see the fun event their friends went to, they’ll be sure to try and make the next event you have!

I’ve been getting lots of calls and emails from people wondering what is working in this tough market for new home sales. Several of my clients have done very well with their campaigns by utilizing our PURL technology. I have a recent case study I would like to share with you and explain the benefits of using PURLs. In addition to the instantaneous lead follow-up and outstanding tracking capabilities, this is the highest performing cost effective marketing technique available today. I’ll be giving a webinar later next week so if you care to check it out, just click on the link below.

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/550382608

Within a month, I had written my first national TV spot for SunJet Airlines (which shortly thereafter filed for bankruptcy—no fault of mine, I might add). Over the next four years, my fellow right brainers and I brainstormed and concepted our way to win over one hundred awards for creative excellence. We basked in our quirkiness. We celebrated our zaniness. We turned “the pit” into anything but the pits.

But then one day, all of that changed.

You see while my right brain was busy being all creative and stuff, my left brain secretly somehow had been playing its own little game. During client pitches, my left brain was paying attention to the research and the numbers and the statistics—all those things that made my right brain want to turn in to Jell-O. My left brain somehow taught itself how to connect those numbers to reason. My right lobe discovered my left lobe’s betrayal and they’ve been at war ever since.

My former creative partners insist that I have gone to the dark side.

But how can they? How can they not see the beauty in what true research tells you? Whether it’s a focus group or a mall intercept or a trend article or a fully blown-out quantitative target segment analysis or segmentation study (OMG, I’m drooling!), research tells a marketer so much. Not just about who your target is, but also about their media consumption, their interests, behavioral patterns—even the messaging that they’re most likely to respond to.

The right side of the brain, aside from tuning out all things numeric or analytic, doesn’t like that. Research brings out its defensive side, and the two sides argue.

RB: Well that takes all the creativity away.

LB: How so?

RB: I wanted to use a talking baby.

LB: The research shows that most women in our target demo expect to start a family within the next two years. Why can’t you use a baby?

RB: Well… because… because… well, it’s just not as much fun if it makes sense!

LB: Besides I think a TV spot like that would be great based on our media schedule. Our research tells us that we should be placing spots on networks like WE, Oxygen, HGTV, Food Network, Lifetime. They’ll LOVE your talking baby.

RB: Well that media plan isn’t very creative.

LB: Whattya mean?

RB: Well you didn’t really create it, did you? That ‘research’ of yours did all the work for you.

LB: I did plenty of work! I mean all those data fields didn’t cross-tabulate on their own!

RB: Ooh! Big word man!

LB: Look, why don’t we float the idea past a focus group to see if you’re on the right track?

RB: NO!

LB: Why not?

RB: Remember that last focus group when that one lady said she didn’t like the creative?

LB: Yes.

RB: I didn’t like her.

LB: Yeah, well, we ran the campaign anyway because you wouldn’t stop whining and it was a flop.

RB: When did you become… such a… such a… boobie-head?

LB: Boobie-head? Is that the best you can do, word boy?

And so on.

So anyway, when you’re trying to figure out your next campaign, take some time and do some research. It can make everything from your creative to your media planning and public relations strategies much more successful and on-target. Doing it right isn’t free—but if you take the time to work with someone who understands how to structure a research project effectively, the return on investment can be staggering.