Our thoughts on the doom and gloom...

Well bit of a change as it is me that is posting this time!

Recently we have been thinking about the whole credit crunch thing and what we decided to do was to put our thoughts down and let our clients and supplier know what we were thinking about the current situation. The text below is just our thoughts and Geoff and I would appreciate your opinions, as the situation is affecting us all differently.

The doom and gloom that has been evident over the last 18 months has made it very easy to get sucked into a dangerous "end of the world" spiral. Many seem to be thinking it's better to wait and see what happens rather than making any bold moves.

For our part we have to admit that, both as a business and as individuals, Geoff and I have been as busy as anyone trying to insulate ourselves from the fears generated by the credit crunch, but we think we're seeing a change

We've always recognised that the impact of the recession is not universal - it affects some far more than others. Despite the fears out there, we've done a good number of branding projects for new start up business, some complete with bank funding, as well as working with existing businesses who want to rejuvenate their brands. Obviously this is good for us, but we have also noticed that the relative impact of these initiatives seems to be greater for our clients because others are doing less.

Talking to our suppliers and clients there seems to be a growing upsurge in confidence. It's small, but it is there. We believe that as that confidence continues to grow there will be real opportunities for those who choose to be "first movers", those who are prepared and ready to go as confidence becomes established.

We are putting together projects and ideas for a number of our clients that can be acted on quickly and put into effect as soon as the time is right because we believe, like them, that when the situation is clear enough to warrant confidence, it is too late to start thinking about new initiatives - the danger is in missing the moment. Confidence is contagious, and both businesses and consumers are more likely to follow those who have a clear, measured and confident story to tell.

We know there is work and money out there but uncertainty means many organisations are hesitant to place orders or make big decisions. It's the old "it's better in my bank account then someone else's" view. An idea that is not without its good points, but those likely to benefit the most are the ones who are willing to dip their toes in the water at the earliest stages.

We think it probable that there will be a "tipping point", a time when people and businesses come out from the shelters. We think there is a great deal to be gained from reviewing branding, messages, stories and appearance in readiness. It doesn't have to cost a fortune. In many cases, it can be very cost effective to audit how our business may look to others, and identifying the important questions we need to ask of ourselves - a sort of "toe back in the water" exercise.

You might decide that a small marketing campaign that can be launched very quickly is a prudent move. For others it may be an innovation in product lines or a change in customer base. Whatever direction you choose we think there might be some great opportunities for many of our clients to make a real difference to their bottom line within the next 18 months.

We have been working on a number of "low intrusion/high impact" ideas and formats. Working with our partners in business development, web media, and business, these are designed with the idea that whilst the time is not yet right for some of the "loud" marketing that predominated before the recession, low key campaigns focused on your customers needs may just get conversations initiated earlier.

Give us an hour of your time, and we'll explain further. Beyond that, we have a low cost "brand audit" service that will look at all the key aspects of your brand, and raise key questions for you to consider.

In short, we think that now is a good time to reflect and review, and be prepared for an upturn. A modest investment now could pay real dividends when we are all clearer and more confident of the shape, timing and speed of recovery. Thanks for your time - let us know what you think.

Kind Regards

Ross