14th May 2010 (0 Comments)

You’ve heard it before, and you will most likely hear it again and again throughout these rough economic times. Advertisers who continue their branding efforts during a recession will emerge as winners.

But do you know why? Other than the obvious, continued name awareness, I believe one of the major reasons is…

women don’t want to be abandoned.

Research reveals that women are indeed stressed out about the economy. And as the primary household purchasing agents, what women are looking for from advertisers is an appropriate balance of empathy and optimism. Brands that suspend communication or inadequately connect with women during recessionary times are by default, communicating a sense of desertion.

So, what do you do?

Advertisers who not only remain visible, but actually capitalize on the downtime to build relationships with women, will become their allies in this war on “not-spending”. This is true whether it is for the necessities such as food and healthcare items that women must buy, bargains they seek for clothing and electronics, as well as the bigger ticket items they are holding off on including homes, new cars or elective surgeries. They will buy now or later from companies that connect with them.

And, how do you do it?

Social Media, with its transparent format, provides a platform for advertisers to optimize this slow and downtime by:

• Turning potential female customers into friends and building authentic relationships.

• Providing opportunity for women to become more engaged with you and your product or service.

• Nurturing a solid loyalty toward your brand.

Women need your support now more than ever. And if you don’t abandon or leave them stranded, they will most likely be with you for life.