According to experts, businesses should not consider cutting back on their direct marketing efforts at the moment.

Despite the recession many feel that “now is not the time” for firms to cut back on promotions and companies should be positively looking to do the opposite.

The Long Term Advertising Expenditure Forecast has highlighted how direct marketing and other advertising are set to grow in popularity over the next ten years.

The research, compiled by the World Advertising Research Centre for the Advertising Association, has forecasted that budgets will grow by up to 52 per cent by 2020.

A recent article on businessstrata.com notes that direct marketing is the most effective way for small firms to promote themselves.

Recent findings have shown that companies across all sectors are cutting down on traditional advertising and allocating more money to direct marketing.

Smarter marketing is a must in today’s difficult economic climate. More than ever, organisations need to show their customers how much they value them, before someone else does.

Businesses need to look for new ways to reach customers, who are in turn demanding greater value for money. Every penny that businesses put into marketing campaigns needs to count!

Marketing Week tackles a dilemma facing many brands as the economy continues its downward slide. In the aftermath of ‘Armageddon autumn’ will consumers cut the froth this Christmas and save their pennies, or turn to luxury brands to cheer themselves up?

It’s probably too early to tell which way the pendulum will swing in the long term, but the indications so far incline more towards thrift than extravagance.