Survey results from Shape the Future cites historic change for PR in a recession
According to a recent survey nearly half of UK companies surveyed plan to increase spending on PR over the next 12 months
• The marketing activities most businesses will be increasing over the next year are websites and PR
• 36.4 percent of companies planned to increase their marketing budgets in the next 12 months, while 45.7 percent planned no change
November 2008: A survey of UK businesses, just completed by research company Shape the Future, has highlighted the most frequent areas of marketing spend predicted by businesses over the next 12 months as: websites (58.9 percent) and PR (42.5 percent). These figures suggest a reversal on the usual slashing of PR and marketing budgets during hard times. Interestingly, a fifth of businesses surveyed (19.7 percent) also planned to increase spend on website optimisation.
The research also identifies a healthy opportunity for those in the marketing service industry, as companies intend to employ a more diverse range of tools in the tussle for market share.
“There is a clear message here that companies have really got to grips with the influencing power of the internet. With such importance placed on PR and the net, firms with a finger on the pulse of social media campaigns may well be the likely winners,” said Peter Martin , managing director of Shape the Future and author of the report.
Sectors and Stats
• Companies more likely to increase marketing spend were business services companies
• More businesses in the property sector are likely to be decreasing spending than average, as are retailers and wholesalers
• Businesses in the South East were more likely to be reducing their marketing spend (20.3 percent were maintaining or increasing, while 25.3 percent were planning to decrease)
• Only 9 percent of companies surveyed planned to reduce their marketing budgets for the coming year
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Notes to editor:
About the Shape the Future survey
• Conducted between 23 September and 4 October 2008
• Sample of 1,492 businesses across the UK
• The survey was conducted online using Shape the Future's proprietary software and systems
About Shape the Future
http://www.shape-the-future.com
Established in 2005, Shape the Future is a full service research company that delivers insight to businesses across the UK and overseas. Clients include businesses from start ups to established blue chip; business to business and consumer companies, as well as government and educational organisations.
It specialises in high speed research and as well as bespoke surveys, its instant online surveys will let you find out why you're not winning more business, how to make your website more effective, how to spend your marketing budget more effectively or what your customers really think. Click here for more information.
Editorial contact:
Georgina Firth, Brainstormhour
