A critical component of any successful public relations, branding or marketing campaign is research.

In a down economy, businesses attempt to cut costs wherever they can. Surprisingly, one of the first items offered up for the chopping block is research. Research can be costly, but it’s a critical item.

1) Would you give an industry or customer presentation with zero preparation or important details?

2) How about purchasing a car without knowing the first thing about the brand or model you are about to fork over $30,000 for?

The answer to both these questions is probably no, but we’re amazed at the number of business leaders that propose limiting or completely eliminating research from their project budgets.

Most often these decision makers feel they already have a complete understanding of their target audiences and what they want. Others don’t feel it is necessary to thoroughly look at what the competition is doing. And the scariest of all are the ones that don’t think there is any value in the research process.

Without research you are essentially operating in the dark. Good research, both primary and secondary, gives you a baseline from which to measure success. If you skimp on, or all together eliminate, this critical campaign component you are setting yourself up for failure.

Research is never a waste of time or money. Even if the results of your research confirm what you already know, it is validation well worth paying for. Chances are you will learn surprising things you weren’t expecting. And sometimes the results can be downright dramatic.

What is your take on research? Is it fundamental to all your marketing efforts or have you done without it successfully in the past?

Building and maintaining a brand is a never-ending process - in good times and especially in bad. HOW you go about it may morph based on the macro economy or your company’s micro economic environment. Today, we’re recommending that our clients use free Internet tools as much as possible. And the good news (in the midst of the bad) is that you may actually make your branding and marketing more effective! Here are some ways we’ve been using Web power to max marketing:

• Electronic media relations - centered around press releases with a number of hyperlinks, i.e., links to pages on your Website that cover the subject(s) you reference in the release, to organizations, to partner companies, etc. Put the releases out electronically over newswires, through appropriate social media channels, and they’ll optimize your search engine results and enjoy a long half life on the Web.
• LinkedIn or Facebook “campaigns” - Begin or maintain an active presence on LinkedIn if you’re a B2B company or both LinkedIn and Facebook if you’re primarily B2C. Build up your contacts/friends lists, let your contacts know what projects or products you’re working on, ask questions, join groups related to your field or that of your company and become active online.
• Conduct regular  ePromotions - Create and maintain an eNewsletter or simply go with a regular ePromotion schedule. Launch your products or services. Give recipients a discount on a product or service for a limited time period. Reprise the special offer on the home page of your Website. Use your ePromotional vehicle to get customer/client feedback on products and services. Reward them with a gift card if they respond.
• Monitor Web coverage - Track yourself/your organization using a free tool such as www.yacktrack.com, which monitors blogs, online communities, etc., to find out what they’re saying about you. Reputation management is a major component of branding and ongoing brand management.

Web 2.0 (dynamic, interactive, optimized) Web sites and blogs are like the proverbial tree falling in a forest if there’s no one around to notice. It takes a marriage of new  - and old - marketing communications vehicles to make target audiences aware of your new Web site, or blog, or forum, or bulletin board. So …

• Announce your new Web site with a press release to publications that your target customers read. Make sure to cover the innovative ways you encourage  interaction on the site and what the site offers visitors. News releases must have substance.
• Send a direct mail piece to your customer, prospect and friends list announcing the site and offering a giveaway to the first five who log in.
• Put your Web and/or blog addresses on every printed piece and every email you send out.
• Bring visitors back to your site with valuable downloadable tips or trends, case studies or articles; announce their availability in an email or in person.

The most effective marketing initiatives take advantage of the best new - and traditional - tools.

From elevator pitches to descriptions of company products and services, insiders are often too close to the subject, too steeped in the details to give right-on, short answers to critical customer questions. You should be able to respond to the following questions in less than 30 seconds with one or two phrases (that’s about all the time you’ll get). No industry jargon or acronyms. Can’t do it? Sit down with a savvy outsider (could be a customer/friend) and craft the answers. Distribute them to everyone that has contact with customers, so you’ll all sing the same notes.

1. Who is [COMPANY NAME]? [We make logo'd shirts for companies and teams.]

2. What do you do? [We do company payroll tasks on line.]

3. What can you do for me? [Reduce payroll-related staff and costs; let you focus on your core business.]

4. What will you do for me that your competitors don’t do? [We're the only company that will have an expert tech at your door in an hour - any day, any time, holidays included - to keep your business running.]

5. Why should I do business with you? [Big Bang benefits, i.e., keep your systems running 24/7/365 - no revenue or data loss.]