Tips to Craft Your Ad Messaging During Economic Downturn

When the economy is fragile, businesses must tread lightly about their marketing, advertising, and sales efforts. While the initial reaction might be to craft more aggressive conversion messages, businesses have to consider their audiences instead. Struggling economic situations will directly impact your target customers. And how you connect with them will need to shift with their buying preferences. 
The economy has experienced its ups and downs over the last few years. And company leaders noticed how effective and sometimes ineffective their marketing messages were during those economic lows. You might have learned valuable lessons from your ad efforts, too. 
During economic downturns, your customers and target audiences will be impacted, thus changing how they act and interact with brands. Their buying habits will shift based on those new financial dynamics, meaning your brand messaging should adjust accordingly. Today, we’ll share tips and insights to help your marketing and advertising efforts remain flexible and adaptable, no matter what the economy is doing. And this is how your ad messaging can still be effective, even if the market is taking a downturn.

How to Craft Messaging During an Economic Downturn

When the economy is in a downturn, the stock market might drop, and employment security might be a concern for consumers. Even if your target audiences aren’t directly feeling the financial crunch, they will be more conscious about how they spend money. As a business with a product or service to offer, you’ll want to cater your ad messaging according to these more conservative spending trends. Remember these behaviors and leverage these tips for crafting the most resonating ad message when the economy is trending downward.

Stress Your Value

Your customers will want to know they’re spending on products or services that have greater value. They won’t spend frivolously during tough times. Anything perceived as a luxury or an unnecessary extra will likely get cut as people tighten budgets. You can craft your ad messaging to showcase your value, specifically how buying from you is the smartest way to stretch every dollar. When you demonstrate how your customers’ money can go further with your offering, they’ll be more willing to buy from you. 

Emphasize Cost-Saving Options

When consumers aren’t spending per their typical buying habits, you can still entice them with your cost-saving options. Consider drafting your ads to highlight how much your buyers will save with your product or service. Use testimonials and real-life situations to depict excitement about dollars saved. Create seasonal discounts or subscriber programs that attract buyers who are more interested in saving money. Even when they’re not spending like they normally would, they’ll be attracted to your cost-saving offers and discounts.

Stay Aware of Others’ Situations

Economic downturns often translate to financial hardships for consumers. Job insecurity, higher costs of living, and reduced borrowing power can make the prospect of spending money terrifying. As a business looking to connect with these consumers, your ad messaging should empathize with these tough situations. Demonstrate with your marketing that you understand their positions while presenting your offer as a sound investment. And be thoughtful with your content to create those emotional connections that sway purchasing decisions.
Audio is often the most effective channel for creating those emotional connections with potential buyers. It’s the one medium that can change moods entirely, with 60% of audio listeners reporting feeling happy after tuning into their favorite channels. With more than 192 million listeners tuning in or subscribing to audio services every week, it’s an excellent platform for sharing your empathetic advertising message. Check out this example of a radio spot that aired in 2020 during the pandemic. It features a home entertainment company that repositioned its offerings to meet consumers where they were at the time – working remotely at home.

Maintain Positive Messaging

When every headline your consumer sees is about economic “doom and gloom,” try to be a source of inspiration and positivity. Don’t dwell on the negative. Your customers are already aware of the downturned economy. They’re looking for good news, bright ideas, and positive reinforcements. Showcase your products and services positively and attract them with messaging about benefits, advantages, and savings. Here are a few examples of other brilliant audio campaigns that aired during the pandemic in 2020, with more positive messaging. 

Be Mindful of Your Messaging During Downturns

Your company’s marketing and advertising should remain flexible in a way that allows you to cater your messaging in any economic situation. And when times get financially challenging for your target customers, recognize it. Be mindful of how you engage with them and leverage these tips for crafting the perfect ad messages, even during economic downturns.