I went out for an impromptu dinner with a friend at the weekend and we went to three different places before we could get a table anywhere. When we finally found a place that could fit us in – a restaurant that was absolutely packed on all three of its storeys – we looked around at our fellow diners and said, “What recession?”

And this is the thing: People will always still spend money during a recession. 

But what I saw on Saturday night doesn’t fit with what I hear from the businesses and other freelancers I’m talking to. Everyone seems to be waiting at the moment, though what for is anyone’s guess. The recession has come to bite us on the proverbial arse, and we all know it’s going to be a while before we can sit down again. 

In a recession, businesses are advised not to hire, not to spend big on new tech or machinery, and to shore up assets; these are all sensible precautions to take. But putting up the marketing shutters is not one of them. 

Whether you’re a restaurant, a manufacturer, an e-retailer or a business services provider, people will still buy from you. But only if they can find you and you can convince them to choose you over a competitor.

Your business needs to be more visible now than ever before. Your message, USPs, and benefits need to be bang on. You need to be attracting your ideal customers. In a recession, people will continue choosing a business with which they have an affinity, and which answers their needs.

Whatever industry you’re in, you might be hearing ‘no’ more than ‘yes’ right now, but you can turn that around by getting your marketing messaging right. 

Here are the most common customer or client objections and how you can turn them around through the power of brilliant yet simple marketing communication.