--- title: "Recession Marketing Spend: Cut the Fat, Not the Muscle" description: Budgeting has always been a sticking point in marketing. With the looming recession, decisions around marketing investment need a unique perspective. image: https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/hubfs/Blog_images/desktop-g8bb2fafa1_1280.jpg --- [![White Space Marketing Group](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ws-logo-header.png?width=253&height=80&name=ws-logo-header.png "White Space Marketing Group")](https://www.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/) ![blogbanner](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blogbanner.png?width=1500&name=blogbanner.png "blogbanner") [Gray Matter at White Space](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com) [B2B Marketing Strategy for Small and Mid-Sized Companies](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com) # [Recession Marketing Spend: Cut the Fat, Not the Muscle](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/recession-marketing-spend-cut-the-fat-not-the-muscle) ![Ilene Rosenthal, CEO](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/hubfs/IHR%20BioPIc%20643x703.jpg) by [Ilene Rosenthal, CEO](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/author/ilene-rosenthal-ceo) on May 5, 2022 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) The question is no longer “if” the recession is coming, but when (and how long will it last). At least that’s the temperature check [coming from experts](https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/12/economy/recession-inflation-economy/index.html) like Bank of America chief investment strategist Michael Hartnett: *“Inflation shock” worsening, “rate shock” just beginning, “recession shock” coming.* It’s not surprising that many CEOs and CFOs are considering budget cuts—if they haven’t made them already. Per usual in an economic downturn, marketing gets the short end of the stick. ### ![Recession Marketing Spend: Cut the Fat, Not the Muscle](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_images/desktop-g8bb2fafa1_1280.jpg?width=300&name=desktop-g8bb2fafa1_1280.jpg)**Beware Random Slashing of Marketing** Budgeting has *always* been a primary sticking point when it comes to marketing. With the looming recession, [decisions around marketing investment](https://blog.marketo.com/2008/06/7-strategies-fo.html) are going to need to be even more convincing. Yet, those conversations need to take the long view on spending and profitability. If you must make marketing budget cuts, there’s a way to do it that cuts the fat—not the muscle. [![Watch the Webinar: How to Avoid Random Acts of Marketing ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/176305/4bc9c144-bd7b-4532-b493-f9d3ceed0abf.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/176305/4bc9c144-bd7b-4532-b493-f9d3ceed0abf) ### ***1) Retention may be the smartest strategy… right now.*** Which customers/audiences make the most sense to focus on: your existing customers or prospects? Unfortunately, it’s probably not both. Retention became an [important strategy](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/retention-as-a-no-risk-marketing-strategy) at the pandemic’s outset. Instead of trying to keep current customers *and* acquire new ones, companies focused spend on the audiences they already “owned” via previous inbound and outbound efforts. If they were wise, they knew not to spread themselves too thin. In some cases, this approach kept businesses afloat until they could find their pandemic bearings.  Remember, this doesn’t have to be a forever strategy. It can absolutely be a *for now* one. ### ***2) Audit what you have, and use it.*** For some companies, today’s messaging cannot be the same as it was [pre-2020](https://hbr.org/2021/03/10-truths-about-marketing-after-the-pandemic). Different stories need to be told. What likely *hasn’t* changed is your company’s value proposition. Does the value you provide still get the job done, two-plus years later? Do your [content assets](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/ceos-mastering-the-content-marketing-machine) from pre-pandemic times communicate that value with a 2022 tone? > *Marketing gets the short end of the stick.* You may need to allocate resources to refine the message, but those assets are profitable tools—and they’re paid for. They can also be repurposed into new, more diverse channels with minimal expenditure. For example, if you have powerful content that’s worked on your blog or website, it can be re-deployed into a LinkedIn newsletter or an email campaign to your database. As they say, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Dress him up and take him out on the town! ### ***3) If you’re not cutting your marketing budget, it’s still crucial to spend wisely.*** Kudos to companies that have a strong understanding of marketing’s long-term role in generating revenue and value. But, there’s still something to be said about responsible spending. For example, if you’re thinking about rebranding, [is now the best time](https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2021/03/23/when-is-it-the-right-time-to-rebrand/?sh=332455c149d1)? Have you done the deep-dive analysis to justify this spend? If you’re not getting a lot of traffic to your website, a complete overhaul may not be the answer. It’s super-valuable to understand where the gaps in your marketing efforts lie—and the appropriate ways to fill them. Sometimes that involves bringing in outside counsel. Which, if your CEO is not averse to spending, might be the way to go. An outside perspective often brings clarity. ### **Smart Spending in Uncertain Times** It didn’t take a pandemic to highlight marketing’s place in the rank order of  business priorities. I’ve seen more than my fair share of random slashing over the years. But, the impact of COVID-19 and where it’s taken us, now requires special consideration. If you’re looking for some creative solutions to maximize your marketing investment, here are some ways I can help: 1. See my videos on marketing strategy on our [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM0OuoY2azBxNRzgp7HkZJQ)—and don’t forget to subscribe so you get the new ones in your inbox. In particular, check out this one: [How to Recession-Proof Your Marketing Investment](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwpexuUnOIE). 2. We’ve launched a newsletter on LinkedIn with a deep dive on topics we’re all thinking about. Take a look[ here](https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/marketing-air-cover-6912046386037334016/). 3. If your team needs a strategy primer to finesse your current strategy roadmap, [get in touch](https://info.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/meetings/irosenthal/strategy-work-session) so we can set up time to discuss timing and cost so you're in good shape throughout the rest of Q2 and into Q3.   [![WATCH THE WEBINAR: HOW TO AVOID RANDOM ACTS OF MARKETING](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/176305/3f922af3-7be7-49bd-b481-abfeeaf64f50.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/176305/3f922af3-7be7-49bd-b481-abfeeaf64f50) Topics: [marketing strategy](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/topic/marketing-strategy), [strategy](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/topic/strategy), [marketing](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/topic/marketing), [business strategy](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/topic/business-strategy), [CEOs](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/topic/ceos), [B2B marketing](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/topic/b2b-marketing), [Founders](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/topic/founders), [B2B](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/topic/b2b), [small business](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/topic/small-business) About The Author ![Ilene Rosenthal, CEO](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/hubfs/IHR%20BioPIc%20643x703.jpg) [ Ilene Rosenthal, CEO ](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/author/ilene-rosenthal-ceo) Ilene Rosenthal is the CEO of White Space Marketing Group, fulfilling her aspiration to bring hybrid marketing expertise to the mid-market. With a dee... [read more](https://blog.whitespacemarketinggroup.com/author/ilene-rosenthal-ceo) [![watch the WEBINAR: how to AVOID random acts of marketing ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/176305/c5f63d26-b091-48d9-822b-8e8904eecef0.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/176305/c5f63d26-b091-48d9-822b-8e8904eecef0) Search this site on Google Search Google ## We're glad you're here. We write about our marketing passions: building digital brands, digging deep for customer insights, tracking marketing effectiveness and ROI for better results. 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