Doing more with less: Expert viewpoints

  • To read the cover story relating to this ’Innovation will bear fruit despite budget squeeze’, click here
  • To find out how charity Cache markets itself with limited resources, click here
  • To read about StreetGames’ efforts to bring sport to communities with Coca-Cola and the Olympics, click here

 

Doing more with less:

Expert viewpoints

Adam Smith, marketing director, Yodel

The role of marketing is always to look for a return on investment. [Budget restraint] focuses the mind, although it also depends on which industry you work in. If you are a retailer, advertising and marketing is paramount to driving traffic.

What I am doing at the moment is becoming very much more focused on the return we are getting for our money.

 

 

 

Norman Turner, chair, StreetGames

The activity of promotion is essential to achieve your objectives. The challenge is doing that for less cash. That means exploring Twitter, and other means of delivery, which is appropriate for us because we have a young client group.

Our charity has a branch network with about 120 projects, so we have existing lines of communication and word of mouth is really important through that network.

 

 

 

Richard Beard, communications manager, Ford

Reduced budgets don’t necessarily drive efficiency: a base level budget and core team will always be required, and real inefficiency is generated by short-termism in the face of recessionary pressure, which highlights the need to remain focused on medium and long-term goals.

The emergence of the social media channel has prompted all marketers to reappraise the channel balance across an optimal media schedule, so regardless of budget restraint, we have looked to maintain strong above-the-line activity, while investing in significant online and social media generation activities.

 

 

Scott Jacobson, marketing director, St John Ambulance

I have lost count of how many times over the years I have tried to tell companies I have worked for – or provided counsel to – that even if you have ten good ideas, if doing five of them will get you where you need to be then why do all ten? It is just going to be more complicated and more expensive. Yet I still see this happen all the time.

Unfortunately, most organisations operate in silos and the budget is carved up with a slice going to each area and there is never an opportunity to collaborate on a truly integrated plan, though that would surely be more cost-effective. Trust a good idea once you have one and trust the people responsible for turning that idea into a reality.