“The recession is over!” proclaimed headlines from Newsweek, Forbes and other leading business journals in the second half of 2009. Most experts believe the worst is behind us and an economic recovery is in process. While looking back is a valuable vantage point for learning, building business momentum requires leaders to look and lean forward. Now is the time to take focused action with your marketing and ramp up your communications with your customers and prospects.

The winning formula is pretty straight forward. 1) If you have a clear and meaningful vision, 2) a solid plan to support it, and 3) you execute your plan well, odds are you’re going to experience dramatic business success. Because in 2010, I predict the best marketing execution will win the game in every industry. This is a time like no other. You can make great strides in market share if you optimize this window of opportunity.

What’s so unique about 2010? After adopting a wait-and-see posture in 2009, customers are ready to spend again, and will respond to product and service offers that “scratch their itch,” particularly if the message reaches them at the time of the itch. Businesses across the US and the globe turned their marketing burners to simmer in Q1’09. In Q2, they cautiously turned up the heat – just a smidge. In the second half, the heartier, more optimistic businesses began turning the marketing heat back up in a more pronounced way. Overall, 2009 was much quieter than previous years, which means well positioned marketing communications and high impact campaigns executed now will not be competing with the marketing din of more ebullient economic periods.

Some companies, like PowerMark client First American CoreLogic, recognized this unique opportunity early and turned the flame to high to enable key category growth in Q4 last year. They reaped significant rewards as a result, blowing away industry benchmarks in every area from email marketing and direct mail to Web marketing and awareness building, and adding millions of dollars to their sales pipeline for 2010. Tim Grace, Senior Vice President of Fraud Products, who maintains an entrepreneurial spirit within this multi-billion company, reflected, “We made the decision to rapidly grow our mortgage fraud market share. So we set aggressive goals, put a high-intensity tactical plan in place, and executed that plan maniacally. Marketing isn’t effective if you’re timid.”

Tim's right. Make the decision to market boldly in 2010. The opportunity to tell your company’s story to customers, prospects, media and influencers is ripe. Take the right actions this month to ensure your vision and goals become reality this year.

Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague.