In most companies those in the marketing department are often seen as a dynamic and exciting bunch, and always appear to be on TV shoots in seemingly glamorous locations or at lunches in the latest restaurants Other staff long for the freedom that those in the marketing team appear to enjoy, and envy the idea of having clever agencies to call upon to make their jobs easier.

The reality is that in most organizations the marketing guys are just behind the front line of the sales teams and in fact probably under more pressure as they are held responsible for creating the leads that are the lifeblood of any sales organization They are often also seen as more of a luxury and in these times of economic slowdown can be more vulnerable if the Chief Executive does not believe in ‘fluffy marketing’.

So you would think that those sectors that are suffering the most at the moment would be the ones to avoid if you were seeking a role within the marketing industry However I believe that it is exactly those markets, such as Financial Services and Automotive, which are the most exciting right now The threat of a recession means that now is the right time to rip up the marketing rule book and try new paths Freed from the constraints of past performance those marketers that are prepared to find a different way will find less obstacles in their way In addition recession is also traditionally the time of high creativity in music, art and fashion, which means you have a carte blanche to look different as well as act differently

Those heading up marketing teams can help themselves by investing in new, young and importantly cheaper talent in such times Graduate recruitment is often the first thing to go when budgets are cut However by keeping such a program going not only are they saving on more experienced and expensive staff, they are keeping the talent pool alive When the economic gloom rises, which it will, you want to be the first brand to take advantage in your competitive set and by having fresh thinkers with energy (and gratitude) in it your organization will not have a skills gap due to lack of investment in people – unlike the competition.

Obviously a core of experience is vital and I am not advocating replacing your team with those just out of University across the board but when a vacancy arises rather than replace with like for like, look to promote from within and top up from below.

The other crucial factor will be to invest in your current crop of middle management to ensure that they do not join your competition – especially given the likely freeze on promotion and pay rises for the coming months At HS&P we try to take an enlightened view on staff development We encourage our team to attend industry courses and in particular concentrate on those new to the agency world However if any member of staff comes to me with a desire to learn, which is not necessarily industry related but will help them in future life, we welcome it Recent examples have been learning a language such as Portuguese or Wine Appreciation Where possible we will train from within, using the vast experience of individuals within the orgnisation but by giving our staff a broader education we hope that they will have a greater loyalty to the agency in future years.

Author: Andy HC

HS&P is a thinking place. Better thinking means better ideas, faster; more loyalty, innovation and better results.

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