Like yourself, I was witness to many savvy business people retreating, especially when it came to Marketing and PR efforts; the very life-blood of their growth! Countless successful marketing directors and PR professionals lost their positions during these times. But, I believe those reactions merely show a lack of faith in their brand and their team. Here’s why:

Those who know their competitive advantage and who can be flexible and adaptable are poised for sustainability, if not growth, regardless of the swing in the market. Consumers do not stop buying Coke simply because it’s a down economy. Yes, they may buy less, but they’ll still remain loyal to the brand. Why? Because the company knows where it stands in the market and continuously promotes its brand.

If you have a strategic, but flexible, plan to reach your target audience and can establish your brand as strong by properly communicating your company’s message, then you can not only survive, but position yourself to thrive once the economy begins to recover. Many successful businesses have emerged during the most trying of times.

This is the time to be a leader, and not a follower. Lead by example. Are you content to try and ride the storm out, or do you want to take control of your company’s destiny and proactively put those strategies in place that will help your business to not only survive…but position it to thrive in the months and years to come?