Yeah, Yeah...It's Still About Doing More With Less...Again?!?

March came in and left like a lion, from the conversations we've been having, and April promises more economic optimism.

Companies have cut as deeply as they can to preserve cash. Venture capitalists examined every company asking some tough questions that may have gone unasked two years ago. Instead of, "Is there a pony in there," now it's about, "Can this dog really hunt?"

What does this mean to us as marketers? We need to look beyond just budget cuts...we need to cut unproductive processes. I've been in marketing in other economic downturns, the budget shrinks. This time, budgets are being cut across the board, not just within marketing. At the end of December, Gartner wrote a great note about the the impact of cuts for sales and marketing, estimated at an average of 20% across the board.

I've always operated from a zero budget perspective because bottom line matters, and so does cash. As marketers, there is always a way to accomplish goals and not let budget dictate marketing effectiveness. The trick is to manage the internal barriers -- power struggles, time managing up , down and sideways -- and not let them become an inhibitor to overcoming market barriers.

But don't stop at the budget: Cut unproductive cycles that cost marketers time and money. Stop using powerpoint and start having conversations with your customers and sales constituents on the message you're conveying. Really understand if it works. Is there proof to back up your message? If not, use the imperative to prove your message as a catalyst to reach out to your customers and learn the real value of your product or service. Then you can leverage the customer community to tell that story. That is way more effective and and less expensive than banner ads, major rebranding and big trade show investments.

We've worked tightly with one company who, because of early work to craft compelling market-based messages and demos for sales requires less "push" marketing because we've crafted that holy grail of "pull" in the market. It is hard work and requires innovative approaches and a methodical process to unearth the messages or story. But once you have it, the market will market for you.

Downturns are great times to innovate processes and achieve focus: On your story and your market. And with that comes results...more with less!

Lisa