Everyone will tell you that in a weak economy you should never cut back on your marketing.  It’s advice I’ve seen everywhere and having worked in the marketing business most of my life, I’ve done my part to spread this pithy little chunk of traditional wisdom around as well.  But I’m backing off it now, because I’ve been through too many recessions not to see the damage it can also cause.  

Maybe the big companies like Chrylser can afford it, oooops – but then again maybe not. Tough as it might be for the marketing guru’s around the world to admit to, there are expenditures that are more important for a business than advertising and PR – because – just for the record, when companies are urged to “market”, the idea is to spend money on external visibility.  It’s a little tough to justify when you’re going into hock to keep the lights burning.

For new,  small internet businesses, it’s difficult to resist the implacable logic behind spending on marketing in a weak economy – even if you have to do it on your credit cards.  There are after all, dozens of calls you can get every week from one company rep after another urging you to do just that.  How long can anyone listen to the same argument coming at them from so many different people and not be swayed?

Well,  there is a flip side to the argument and for the new business start up,  a company that’s already vulnerable, you might want to consider these points:

• Don’t try to spend your customers into buying – you probably won’t survive to see the revenue.
• In a credit crunch, don’t add anything to your long or short term debt that you don’t have to add.
• Remember that everyone who is urging you to spend is acting for the good of their own agenda, not yours.
• Ignore the academics, if they could really run a business they’d be doing it themselves and not telling everyone else what they’re doing wrong.
• Be smart.  Spend wisely. Hold on.