In challenging times, I see clients cut their marketing budgets and even stop advertising. Often, the brand marketing strategy is the first thing to be shelved.

It’s a business decision that ultimately is bad for business. Data from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science show that when brands stop advertising, sales fall by 16% within a year and 25% after two years.

A Harvard Business Review analysis of company performance during recessions found that 80% of companies that cut marketing had still not regained pre-recession sales and profits by three years after.

If you want to know the ROI for brand marketing in times of economic uncertainty, it’s this:

Organizations that consistently and thoughtfully focus on brand awareness and brand building outperform the organizations that do it in an episodic way.

Consistent brand marketing is key to business success

Consistently telling your story, even in challenging times, keeps your brand top of mind when consumers are ready to make a buying decision.

Be sensitive to market considerations in your messaging. If things are not great for everybody, don’t pretend they are. Focus on your brand story and being authentically who you are.

Historically, brands that market themselves during tough times see sales growth. If not right away, then when economic conditions start to turn around. They already have momentum.

Brands that stop marketing find it difficult to make up lost ground when advertising resumes. Lost market share is tough to regain and takes time.

Of course, anytime you see your competition take a step back is an opportunity for your brand. It opens a gap that your brand can fill in the mind share of consumers and for increased market share.

Stay in front of your consumers

Economic upturns and downturns happen regularly. I see organizations get paralyzed by it. Don’t let that be you.

You don’t know when consumers are in the market for your services, your message or even just learning more about what you do. Seeds can be planted at any time. That’s why consistent brand marketing is so important.

And honestly, during the most difficult times is when consumers are the most scrutinizing, digging deeper to better understand a brand.

Let me give you some examples:

• Even in economic downtimes, students and their families are researching schools for the best investment of their time and resources.
• Consumers are still looking to change banks.
• Healthcare consumers are researching if their insurance is going to work at this hospital or that clinic. They’re still asking: Is this physician the best for my treatment?

So regardless of economic conditions, there is reason to be out there, front and center, with your brand marketing.

Stay engaged with your consumers

I understand that sometimes marketing directors are dealing with really tough budget limitations. Scale back your brand marketing if you need to, but never turn it off completely.

And even if you need to turn down the volume of your brand awareness marketing, don’t shut off engagement.

Are leads consistently flowing into your sales funnel? For nonprofits, are your donors regularly engaged? Keep an eye on those engagement KPIs.

Lack of engagement in the market creates opportunity for first mind share and then market share loss, and I don’t know any organization that can afford to do that.

Author Bryan Earnest is owner, President and CEO of Amperage Marketing + Fundraising. With nearly 30 years in agency leadership, he has deep experience in strategy, sales and fundraising.