Earlier this year I posted a commentary about branding in uncertain times. I started the post by writing, “It looks like we are in for some uncertain economic times”. At the time there was some doubt. Today, there is no doubt about it; we are in very uncertain times.

Personally, I am trying not to get sucked too deep into the doom and gloom. I am trying to live in the spirit of the Chinese proverb – “May you live in interesting times”. I am trying to get my head around the idea that these uncertain times are interesting times and the perfect opportunity to rethink what needs to get done and how we have done it before, and how we might do it today.

Uncertain times are not new. There have been survivors of previous uncertain times. Those survivors adopted an attitude that acknowledged that sales don’t completely go away and that the market will rebound. Further, the secret to their survival was that they developed and executed an uncertain times business strategy. And, guess what, that strategy included the idea that we don’t stop talking to the market.

The timeless principles of talking to the market are about attracting, engaging and interacting with prospects and customers. I’d suggest giving some thought to these timeless principles and how new communication techniques can help you accomplish them more efficiently and economically. I believe that this rethinking will make these uncertain times much more interesting and make you a hero in your organization.

Need some survival tactics? Take a look at some of my co-workers' thoughts on these subjects.

Online marketing during a recession---invest more time but spend less money. (Jennifer Brown)

B-to-B Marketing in Uncertain Times (Russ Green)

Ten Tips for Effective Creative in Difficult Times (Jim Castanzo)