Jon Miller wrote an interesting article for MarketingProfs last summer that deserves a second look. Its title: "The Definitive Guide to B2B Marketing in a Recession." ('Nuff said?) One point that stands out in the article is this: a downturn is no time to be faint of heart. Instead, Miller says, experience shows that those B2B firms that fare the best in queasy times are those that take specific initiatives. Among his suggestions:

Boost your lead-gen efforts. "Implementing even simple automated lead-nurturing programs can yield a 400% improvement in the conversion of qualified prospects into sales opportunities over time," Miller notes. "Companies that can do a better job of … developing early-stage prospects into sales-ready leads will be in the best position to thrive in a downturn."

Focus on your house list. "Activities that can help you get the most out of your existing relationships include conducting lead-nurturing campaigns, creating new content to offer to existing prospects, and cleaning and augmenting your marketing lead database with progressive profiling," he advises.

Focus your content on solid prospects. "[F]ocus your offers on content that will appeal to someone who's actually looking for a solution," Miller says. "Examples … can include 'Top 5 Questions to Ask a Potential Vendor' whitepapers, buyers guides and checklists, [or] analyst evaluations."

The Po!nt: Be brave, and go for it. Use tips like these to help focus your initiatives and keep your ROI healthy during the downturn.

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