Marketing Communications Budgets – making a little go a long way

Marketing PR Public Relations writing for websites

As the end of the 2008-09 financial year approaches, marketing spend is being scrutinized and justifications made on what the marcoms budget should be for the next financial year.

Badminton Australia (BA) is about to go through its budget process and is facing some tough decisions on how much it should spend on communications activity.  As a not-for-profit organisation, BA is reliant on government funding – any significant cutback has an immediate impact on marketing budget.  Investment in player development is of primary importance, but marketing the sport and increasing its profile is key to its long term survival.

So if your budget is under the microscope, the following are a few suggestions to making a limited marketing communications budget go a long way.  Remember, even in a recession, customers keep on buying, they just buy in a different way.  Regular communication with them is important so that they buy from you and not the competition.

– if you haven’t got a website yet, you can get one designed and built with even the tightest of budgets.  There are plenty of websites designers out there, just do your research and talk to people you know who can recommend a designer they’ve used.  Webgraphics by email designed and built this site and do such a good job with all their clients, they’re booked up to 2010!

– write an enewsletter: it’s a great way to communicate with existing and potential customers and get news out there on your latest achievements, tips and reviews.  And enewsletters are quicker and cheaper to send than snail mail (and more environmentally friendly).  Invite people to sign up from your website and make sure you post the newsletter on your website as well as emailing it.

– tightening the marketing purse strings invariably results in slashed advertising costs and this is when PR comes into its own.  It’s targeted and measurable and contributes more to building loyalty and brand awareness that advertising.

For help on how you can make your marketing communications budget go a long way, send me an email ruth@purplechameleon.com.au.