As talk of economic recessionary doom and gloom swirls around our businesses and everywhere we turn companies are cutting back, laying off workers and downsizing, now it is more important than ever to learn the lessons business history has taught us.

During the Great Depression, Proctor and Gamble marketed its Ivory Soap, making it a household staple and dwarfing its rivals for decades afterwards. As the 1990s recession gripped the U.S., computer-chip maker Intel launched its famous Intel Inside campaign featuring the multi-coloured, hazard-suited dancing tech nerds which pushed back its competitors and increased its market share to the point where it dominates the entire sector today.

As marketers, we need to remind our CEOs of these lessons and encourage them to go against the grain: zig while others zag, as we’re taught by ZAG author Marty Neumeier, and have the courage to invest in marketing rather than cut it. Now is the time to break out those Superman tights and be a superhero.

The winners after this recession will be the companies that have invested in marketing themselves, not those that ran away and hid.

Recessions provide many opportunities for companies wise enough to look for them. As your competitors retrench there is an opportunity to grab market share from their dozing marketing departments. Rather than cut back on advertising frequency, reduce the size or duration of your ads. For example, take radio spots from 30 to 15 seconds.

Media is hurting, too, and there are deals to be had if you are brave enough to ask. Seek a better price for sure, but there is more than one way to skin this cat. Ask for two-for-ones, extend the campaign, up-size your ads, or ask for space on or in sister stations, publications or newspapers. Our media partners would rather keep your investment than lose it and if you are willing to commit they will sweeten the deal.

Invest in customer research so you understand how your customers’ buying habits are changing. Most are redefining their views of value and yesterday’s must-haves are becoming today’s wish list. They are looking for quality, value, reliability, durability, safety and performance. They are not looking for silly features, unnecessary luxury, unwanted add-ons, or gimmicks.

Customers are staying home and are looking for things that make this cocooning more appealing. Cookware, home entertainment and things that let them connect with family and friends at home will weather this recession better than most.

Look at your product lines. Pay special attention to those at the lower end of your pricing matrix. Customers are still buying, they are just buying less and looking for products that their “redefined values” see as a good deal. Unbundle your offers and sell the pieces. Trusted brands will see their base solidify as customers cling to what they know and trust in uncertain seas.

Your advertising needs to adjust its messaging, too, with an emphasis placed squarely on value for money, quality for price, and performance versus competitor offerings. Tell them why your product is the best. Be specific and mean it. If your customer service sucks, now is the time to fix it, as customers will be looking to do business with companies that stand behind what they sell.

The deal is king! This does not mean you must put everything on sale and in fact I recommend you don’t. Instead, ensure that you have done your homework and know what your competitor’s pricing is. You do need to be in the same ballpark, and then make the case for your product by adding value. Maybe a better warranty, free delivery or offering a loyalty program will ensure a sale without having to discount. Think about what impediments you place in front of a customer making a purchase from you and remove them. Get out from behind your desk and go talk to your customers, ask them what business challenges they face and see if you can provide a solution.

You think these solutions are only for the big players? Think again. I knew a florist who offered a free single white rose in every dozen red ones and had cards printed that read: In a sea of beauty you stand alone, unique and beautiful. This clever marketer sold his roses at 20 per cent more than his competitors based solely on this creative approach.

As my first mentor used to say, “When the going gets tough, the tough buy advertising.”