In tough times, promoting price cuts and discounts are obvious ways to stand out against the competition. But going the extra mile and getting into the head space of existing and prospective customers will really help you break through the barriers and secure business on an ongoing basis.

John Quelch, Harvard Business School Professor, says, “It is well documented that brands that increase advertising during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times.”

Knowing your market is critical. And, no other marketing firm in Canada knows the transportation sector better than Palmer Marketing (PM), a boutique-style agency located in Mississauga, Ontario. After specializing in the Canadian transportation industry for 22 years, they have the experience and insight to develop creative web, print and promotions to convey a meaningful and measureable message to assist their customers’ sales efforts.

It all starts with the PM Drill Down Deep process, where they discover what sets one company apart from the next. In a recession, you want to remain top-of-mind with your customers. Formalizing your key strengths and vision in your communications strategy will naturally present great opportunities for growth.

Sho-moves.com is a great example of PM’s recent work and Jason Faubert, President of Sho-Moves states, “Palmer Marketing took our branding to new levels with a fresh logo, tagline and web presence. In addition, they helped me reach out to customers in a new way. In the first week after the launch, I secured two significant contracts as a direct result of their marketing efforts. I would highly recommend them.”

Lee Palmer, President and Creative Director at PM states, “The greatest value we provide is our ability to take the ball and run with it…saving time and frustration for our clients. We keep the message simple, have it resonate with potential buyers and support it. At the end of the day, utilizing our services brings clarity and solidifies the actions necessary to move forward quickly.”

So, is it time to ramp up sales efforts and renew advertising support? Palmer Marketing says yes and suggests if you have the resources to promote yourself now, it will definitely come back to you. To Quote DJ Francis, “Now, ‘same’ is synonymous with ‘lame.’ The market demands change. This includes a change in the marketing you produce.”

Entrepreneur Lee Palmer is proud of what his company has accomplished over its 20 year history.
Palmer Marketing is celebrating its 20th anniversary in discovering and communicating the unique message each transportation company has to offer. This is rolled out through a variety of media, including web, print and promotions, entrepreneur Lee Palmer explains.

Since adopting their Drill Down Deep™ process, PM has earned over 40 design awards across a variety of media. They’ve also implemented the principles of ‘Good to Great’ and have experienced many benefits from getting the right people on the right seat on the bus, going in the right direction. Palmer adds, “We do our utmost to make every project our best project. It’s definitely a challenge, but we’re passionate about what we do and our creative team can hold their own against anyone.”

The artists at PM are conversant in both web and print media and have individual strengths which define their key role within the graphics department. Collectively, they create a full spectrum of artistry, from detailed illustrations to sophisticated flash based animations.

Today, PM is poised for growth. While some larger customers are cutting back, the company has flourished through a robust increase in their web development and branding services for small to mid-size firms. They take an integrated communications approach, creating a consistent look and message across all media. PM sees the web playing an increasingly prominent role in the transportation sector, from online shipment visibility and driver recruitment, to cost effective and adaptable brand building.

PM’s web development manager, Jerry Popowicz, comments, “On the technical side, we implement secure logins, interactive forms, reporting analytics and, more recently, Intranet services for our clients. Our web business has doubled at PM compared to the first six months of last year.”

In June, Doug Culp added his 15 years of sales and marketing experience to PM. “I’m excited about where we can take this company in the future. We have everything in place to serve our customers to the fullest and realize the synergies of more defined processes that endear ourselves even more with our transportation clientele. As VP of business development, my job is to spread the word about how our firm can discover, design and deliver memorable marketing solutions for our clients,” Culp said.

Find out more about Palmer Marketing by visiting our Web site at www.trypm.com