• by Jason Keith , December 15, 2008

You've heard these suggestions before: "Don't stop spending on marketing," "Adjust your product offering," "Steal market share." These are just a few of the more common suggestions you are likely to hear from marketers during a recession.

All good ideas, but probably no one has ever explained how you can apply these tenets to your online marketing strategy. Try these variations to get the most out of your online investment during this economic downturn:

1)Spend wisely. This seems logical, but too often companies simply repeat the same activities with smaller budgets. Repeating half of the online marketing and site development that you had the year before doesn't make a lot of sense if consumer attitudes and priorities change. The answer to this problem can be found in the second suggestion.

2)Ask your customers. Customers' online behavior patterns tend to change during a slow economy. New behaviors may require new functionality and new messages. Interview or survey your target users to understand how their attitudes and priorities are changing their online behavior.

3)Add value. In an economic downturn, value is king, and customers want to be assured that they're getting more than their dollar's worth. The web is one of the fastest, most cost-effective channels to change and get the message out. Look for easy ways to alter an existing offering to make it more valuable, such as extending access to online help or a support program that already exists.

4)Don't go it alone. Look for partners, existing or otherwise, you can leverage to make a more valuable combined offer that increases incentives for customers and benefits both companies. For example, companies in the hotel and airline industries often partner on advertising spend and customer loyalty programs to distribute marketing costs and provide a more valuable offering.

5)Align your measurements. Another great thing about online marketing is that many things are measureable and can deliver quick feedback. As you make changes to your online offering, adjust your metrics and success measurements to ensure you're getting the intended results.

6)Take the road more traveled. It's probably not the best time to test a new or little-known technology. Stick with tried-and-true technological vehicles you've had success with in the past. Your efforts will be more successful, and you'll get the most bang for your online marketing buck.

7)Keep your eyes and ears open. Even though it may not be the time to invest in cutting-edge technology, don't stop looking. Dedicate some time and resources to stay informed, keeping an eye out for the next game changer.

As you allocate and adjust your marketing dollars remember that the web is unlike any other medium. Applying a status quo, traditional marketing approach might be missing the opportunity to use one of the most engaging, cost-effective, and efficient channels at your disposal.