Partner Article

Practitioner urges North East firms to take a bold approach

A COUNTY DURHAM practitioner has urged firms to take a bold approach to marketing and public relations during the recession.

That is the warning from the Managing Director of Sedgefield based Aegies Associates as the recessions starts to hit the industry hard.

Keith Blundy, has emphasised that PR and marketing is never more important than in a recession and that the devastation of the public sector should not mean the end of promotional work.

Mr Blundy said: “Already we have seen several PR and marketing companies nationally and regionally struggling badly, or even go into administration, because of the cutbacks in public sector funding.

“But it does not need to be like that. Perfectly worthwhile projects and companies finding themselves without the financial crutch of public sector funding have two choices - roll over and die or take on the mantle themselves and become more sustainable and innovative.”

The companywhich specialises in marketing in the education, financial services and industrial field believes that the best time to engage in promotion is at the start of a recovery when competitors are still in a guarded mode.

In an attempt to help companies and projects struggling with funding, Aegies is offering a free consultation to help them plan a cost-effective way of promoting themselves.

He added: “Companies already engaged in a project hit by these cutbacks or worried about the effects on their project from an existing supplier hitting financial difficulties are most at risk – and it is these very companies that might benefit from our reassurance or intervention.

“A company seeking ways of promoting itself needs help in those initial stages. Offering them our expertise free right at the start may be the difference between a company turning to PR and marketing or not. That will be good for them and it has got to be good for the industry.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .