A recession to me is if my direct competitor goes out of business, a depression of course would be if I was to go out of business before my direct competitor. Often companies make the mistake of cutting cost during economic downtimes and the PR budget is usually the first to go. Some companies should stop to ask themselves does it really make sense to stop communications when times are growing hard! Wow, so many companies elect to go down this road, seemingly thinking they can just pick right back up when things turn around.
Public relations are just that, a relationship that you developed with your public audience. Usually, you have the luxury of targeting specific target audiences through strategic planning and approach from media relationships. However, all of these relationships are built overtime, nurtured, and developed ongoing. In short, you do not stop communicating and talking one day and come back some time later expecting to pick right back up. After all when you leave (stop communicating) the media is always looking for someone to take your spot, the next Big (hot) New (young) company, celebrity, author, or cause to take your place. You can’t think that you are that special, right? Fans, customers, supporters, clients, remain loyal only when they are in a relationship.
In business you often find yourself in three stages of life, you are in a recession or depression, going into a recession or depression, or coming out of a recession or depression. The key is learning how to weather the storm from, of, and during a recession or depression. The most important thing to remember is that attitude often controls the mood to be successful or not. The theory “keep your head up” holds true. Continue to communicate with your target audience, find out what they need and want. Show that you do care by offering solutions that will help the situation. Come up with resources that add-value to what your target audience needs and implement plans of actions.
The battle of a recession is won by preparation, communication, and persistence. Those who survive build sustainability for continued growth. Remember they can’t forget you if you don’t let them and they will if you don’t keep reminding them not to. Best of luck!