If you’ve been paying attention to marketing and advertising for the past few months, you’ve likely noticed the new round of marketing buzzwords include terms like “stimulus,” “bailout,” and “bonus.”
   That’s because, given recent events, terms like that resonate with consumers—they’re topical. And they provide a good glimpse at the type of opportunities even a down economy can present to companies looking to innovate and attract consumers. 
   Here’s a great example. How many people were talking about Hyundai a year ago? Not many. But earlier this year, Hyundai made an innovative and savvy marketing move by creating a program that allows consumers who lose their jobs to just return their car. In an environment where everyone is worrying about spending and layoffs, that message resonated. As a result, people started talking about Hyundai. 
   People were talking about Hyundai so much its competitors like Ford and General Motors came out with similar programs of their own, and today these programs include such notions as the car companies making your payments for you if you lose your job. 
   Hyundai’s a great example of a company taking the current situation and using it in a way that resonates with consumers and attracts them to its products. Hyundai saw an opportunity created by this down economy and they moved on it.
   Now, the million-dollar question is how you can resonate with homeowners? How can you use the current economic climate to attract homeowners to your business? Here are a few ideas:

Problem: Falling home values.
Opportunity: Help homeowners stay comfortable in their homes. As everyone painfully knows, home values across the nation have plummeted, and that means that people who may have been thinking about selling their home are more than likely thinking about staying put. And as a result, more people will be willing to maintain or upgrade their home. That creates an opportunity for you to help homeowners stay comfortable in their home.

Problem: Soaring energy costs.
Opportunity: Go “green.” Just as home values are declining, energy and utility costs are going up. And, of course, the threat of water shortages is sure to once again make news as summer heats up. Everyone knows “green thinking” is becoming more important to the earth and to homeowners’ pocketbooks. That creates an opportunity to let your clients know how you can help them make greener choices in their home. Whether it’s solar water heaters, tankless water heaters, or even lower flow toilets and fixtures, now is the time to give your clients options for their home.

Problem: It’s difficult to sell a home in this market.
Opportunity: Provide mini-remodels. Many homeowners are having a difficult time in trying to sell their home. Many of them are looking for ways to give their home an edge in the market. You have an opportunity to help them with two of the most prominent areas of their home--the kitchen and the bathroom. A mini remodel with new fixtures could dramatically boost the impact of their home and give them that edge. Is there a message you can send these home sellers that will resonate that message?

Problem: Credit is tight.
Opportunity: If you have financing available for your clients, now is the time to let them know it. With credit tight around the nation, homeowners are worried about paying the costs of improvements. While it might be hard for you to take the Hyundai route and allow a homeowner to return a new re-piping job, you can provide financing so they can afford it within their monthly budget. If you have financing, you have an opportunity to empower your clients to make the decisions they want for their home.

Problem: Businesses are cutting costs.
Opportunity: Marketing can be cheaper than ever. Watching your expenses is always good, but, as I’ve written in the past, tough times are no time to quit marketing. The opportunity for you is that a lot of other businesses have cut back on their marketing efforts, and the people selling the advertising are looking for sales. Call around and see what deals you can find in your market.

Don’t let the economy get you down. There are opportunities out there that you can seize that will resonate with homeowners. Just like Hyundai, people might start talking about you too!