History has taught us that when the economy suffers, marketing budgets suffer. 68% of marketeers expected their advertising budgets to be frozen or decreased in 2009. However, 75% of those same marketeers expected to spend more money on digital marketing programs in that same year.*

Social media have started to thrive. Need more evidence? A marketing survey** revealed 59% of senior marketing executives expect to decrease their traditional-marketing budgets, while 63% plan to increase the budget for interactive and digital marketing programs, even in times of recession.

Still not convinced? Forrester Research states that interactive social applications such as communities, social networking sites and word-of-mouth marketing prove worthwhile because they depend not on a diminishing ad budgets, but on an abundant resource of your customers.***

Enthusiastic customers telling others about your product is a more effective medium than any of the traditional media. They have the ability to motivate consumers in the consideration phase of purchase, which, in times of recession, is more cost-effective than the shotgun approach applied by most traditional forms of advertising.

In times of recession, one thing seems clear: interactive and digital marketing-social media strategies in particular-will play a part in how your brand survives and thrives.

At StayNomad, we do exactly this. Our customers, whether they be tourism destinations or product manufacturers, are placed amidst a mix of global customers, all with a keen interest in travel, unique travel experiences and travel gear. And our members love the brands for it, because they enable them to travel in a more memorable and pleasant way.

Does your organization/company need any more convincing?

info@staynomad.com

*PRWeek and Manning Selvage & Lee survey, July 2008.
**Epsilon CMO Survey, August 2008.
***Forrester Research, Strategies for Interactive Marketing in a Recession, Feb 2008