In 2020, the longest period of economic expansion in U.S. history came to a grinding halt. Caught off guard by years of growth and record-breaking profits, A/E/C firms are now reeling and wondering how long the recession will last and how severe the financial impacts will be.
During the Great Recession of 2008-2010, many A/E/C firms made deep, devastating cuts into their Marketing departments. These ‘cost-saving’ measures caused waves of layoffs of marketing professionals across all job categories and levels of seniority. This type of extreme ‘disinvestment’ in marketing resources hinders a firm’s ability to position its brand in the hyper-competitive landscape of a recession.
In her book, Marketing at Low Tide, Middle of Six Pursuit Strategist, Allison Tivnon, explores the motivations and perceptions that drive A/E/C firm financial decisions, and some of the miss-steps marketing departments make when the tide goes out.
"I started in the A/E/C industry in 2008 and know first-hand the gut punch of watching firms strip away marketing resources just when they need them most. I wrote this book to both examine why A/E/C firms devalue marketing during recession, as well as to devise measurable, impactful steps that can be taken to make the case to firm decision-makers that marketing matters just as much (if not more!) during recessions." - Allison Tivnon
Featured Review
Marketing at Low Tide was recently featured in the SMPS Marketer Magazine:
“Unlike similar books, Marketing at Low Tide has the uncanny ability to package a short read with content that pushes you to engage in critical assessments and pursue a path forward with confidence.”
- Marina Garcia, ©Marketer, The Journal of the Society for Marketing Professional Services, April 2021, www.smps.org
A Look Inside
To successfully pivot into recession-oriented marketing, your team might need a tune up! Perform a quick and easy needs analysis by downloading this marketing 'check-up' checklist.