When a recession hits, insurers shouldn't stop marketing

Continuing to market during a downturn sends a powerful message, and it can bring great results.

Because the background noise is turned down during a recession and fewer companies are competing for your audience’s attention, it can be a great time to rebrand your company or introduce new insurance products. (Credit: Jirapong/Adobe Stock)

Is the insurance industry heading into a recession? It’s hard to say for sure, although experts have certainly been discussing that possibility in recent months. Nobody can tell the future, but economic slowdowns inevitably do happen – and you never know when you’ll have to face the next one.

When recessions hit, many companies tend to scale back on ad spending. After the recession in 2008, companies reduced their ad spend by 13% across the board. However, reducing efforts to generate new revenue often exacerbates the effect of a recession – and ultimately, the effect on your business.

Here are 4 reasons to maintain an insurance marketing budget (even during a downturn):

1. You have less competition It’s been documented that companies tend to drop their marketing and ad spend when in an economic downturn. That means your message won’t have to stand out among quite as many competitors! If you’re one of the few in your niche who’s marketing, you’ll stand out far more than in a normal marketing period.

2. You send the message that you’re stable While your competitors reduce their marketing activities, you continue as if your budget for marketing hasn’t reduced – and that sends a powerful message. It gives the impression that your company doesn’t need to reduce its marketing budget, because you’re that stable and successful. That naturally draws others to want to work with you.

3. You prevent the feast-or-famine cycle Running your own business can often feel like going from feast to famine – you’re either far too busy to market, or business has dropped off and you can’t afford to. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By thoughtfully allocating resources towards marketing (including before and during a downturn) you can prevent the worst effects of an economic slowdown from impacting your business. You can keep your business coming in, even when others are struggling.

4. It’s a great time to rebrand or introduce new products Because the background noise is turned down during a recession and fewer companies are competing for your audience’s attention, it can be a great time to rebrand your company or introduce new insurance products. You’ll get a larger audience share for your new initiative, which can make it even more impactful than it would be during a normal period.

Continuing to market during a downturn sends a powerful message, and it can bring great results. By maintaining your marketing spend while carefully crafting your message to reflect new insurance industry realities, your business can come through any slow period with flying colors.

Brad Nevins is co-CEO of Direct Connection Advertising & Marketing and has more than 35 years in the property & casualty insurance industry. He can be reached at brad@directconnectionusa.com or (707) 759 5391.

This article originally appeared on Direct Connection Advertising & Marketing blog and is reprinted here with permission.

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