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EDITORIAL LOUISE FENNER-SOLOMON | PUBLISHER OUR TEAM PUBLISHER / ADVERTISING Louise Fenner-Solomon 082 572 4707 [email protected] PUBLISHER / DESIGN Peter Fenner-Solomon 082 521 3916 [email protected] I t’s a sign of the times that many firms are tightening their belts and cutting costs across departments. Sadly some have not managed to fight the difficult economic headwinds and have gone into business rescue, which is a tragic scenario for them and by process of association, every other role player in the built environment sector. One of the associated fields hit hard by the downturn have been the PR and Marketing professionals. A number of PR firms have lost their Built Environment clients and agencies have either lost clients or had their clients slash advertising budgets. ACCOUNTS Peter Fenner-Solomon 082 521 3916 [email protected] The reality is that during times when a firm can ill afford less exposure, this is often the very first budget cut when, where absolutely possible, it should be one of the last. McGraw-Hill Research conducted a study of U.S. recessions from 1980-1985. Out of the 600 business-to-business companies analysed, the ones who continued to advertise during the 1981-1982 recession hit a 256% growth by 1985 over their competitors that SUBSCRIBE SOUTH AFRICA 1 Year / 6 Issues 2 Year / 12 Issues INTERNATIONAL 1 Year / 6 Issues 2 Year / 12 Issues eliminated or decreased spending. The numbers aren’t a fluke. They prove there’s a R350 exc. VAT R600 exc. VAT reward for companies who are aggressive with their advertising efforts in a recession. I believe the key is to get smarter with the budget you do have available. Coming into contact with PR firms and advertising agencies on a daily basis I can tell you that some R800 exc. VAT R1 400 exc. VAT HOW TO SUBSCRIBE Email us your subscription choice: [email protected] firms go out of their way to get the best return on investment for their clients, others will make the least effort possible to fulfill your brief to them. This is not the time for mediocrity. Find the money to ensure your firm receives continued exposure during the tough times but insist that firms you entrust your business with are providing you with bang for your buck. Customised press releases, negotiation of value added deals with media and eye catching ad design should be insisted upon. Good PR can CONTACT US TELEPHONE [phone] FACSIMILE 086 551 8323 get you fantastic exposure if they have in depth knowledge of the best media to get your story across to the right audience. If they don’t deliver, find another firm but don’t ditch PR altogether. EMAIL [email protected] WEB 6 www.archibuild.co.za Editorial