You have weathered the economic storm. You were probably caught flat-footed by the recession, but now you sense the light at the end of the tunnel. Business and consumer confidence indices are improving although the US unemployment rate is still high. There is optimism in the air. You have cleared deadwood within your organization.   You have outsourced whatever you can outsource to reduce payroll. Remember that recessions are not unusual – happened over time (1980, 1987, 1991/1992, 2000/2001, 2008/2009) and across geographies (Japan in the ‘90s, East Asia in late ‘90s, Germany/France during mid 90s) – and we can use a few strategies and tactics that worked in the past as our guide.

Treat every dollar as your last

Your marketing and advertising budget probably shrank in the last 18 months. In tandem with your competitors, you migrated dollars to more “measurable” channels and new media – because you were focused on short-term performance.

The last time the CFO asked for ROI for each marketing and advertising tactic, you couldn’t quantify the impact and so the CFO controlled the conversation and the purse. Don’t go back to the CFO for increase in budget now. Instead tell your CEO and CFO what you will deliver by changing your budget or allocating it more optimally across media, geographies, target market segments and marketing tactics.

Hire analytical talent

You probably read the book “Competing on Analytics” and wondered how to bring similar rigor to your organization and decision-making processes in order to maximize marketing ROI. Take this opportunity to upgrade your talent pool while mixing right-brained and left-brained individuals. Let the magic happen.

Optimize your marketing communications

Are you getting what you want from your marketing and advertising services partners? How did your partners guide you through the recession? How are you planning to change the conversation with your prospects and customers? Now is the time to launch an aggressive marketing effort and get to your customers as their wallets thaw. Ensure that your brand stands for the one thing that matters to your target audience.

Don’t forget your employees

Another area where your company probably cut back: reduction in customer service personnel, training, etc. If the service you provide is an integral component of the brand experience, assess the components of the service that are indeed valued by your customers prior to making across the board investment increases.

Don’t let your brand falter

During the first spending reductions you cut back on brand building as your CFO wanted to take cost out of “everything.” Not just advertising, but also customer service, innovation, customer experience and more. You insisted on the value of brand building but couldn’t quantify the value of the brand on long-term performance. Maybe your competitor did not follow your budget cuts and instead maintained or increased spending during the recession. You may have to work smarter and be more surgical.

Take risks

Try to be the first mover in emerging media – mobile, video, social, iPad, and more – if you think that your customers and prospects are hanging out in these venues. Don’t be afraid to try unproven tactics, but adopt a disciplined test & learn approach to know the unknown and manage the risks. If your agency hasn’t proposed treading the untested waters yet, consider firing your agency!

Recession and economic recovery favor the prepared organization. Are you prepared? Now is the time for disciplined, deliberate, and thoughtful actions.

1. Frugal chic: Every (and we mean every) purchase registers on a new scale of “need” versus “want,” especially for women who were living in a “want” society. This means postponing, repairing, re-purposing, recycling and even refusing to buy. Sacrifice and shame? Hardly! Frugality is worth flaunting: as the New York Times says, “saving is the new black.” (-New York Times, 10.13.08) Expect women to demand longer life spans on durable goods and squeak more servings out of consumables. A group of women we spoke with talked about everything from washing machines that only worked on one cycle (but still, technically, work) to adding water to stretch pricey salon shampoo as ways they save.

2. Creative consumption: Powered by like-minded communities online and off, women are seeking new ways to borrow, barter, buy and bank beyond traditional channels. Play it safe by enticing them to buy new today. Or get ahead of the curve by integrating traditional and creative consumption channels or owning off-the beaten-path buy-ways. Proof? Craigslist reports a 100% increase in traffic on bartering boards, while dedicated barter sites like U-Exchange and SwapThing are also booming. Women say they see no shame in simply asking, “Can I borrow that?”

3. ROI thinking: Rather than asking a brand, “What have you done for me lately?” women want to know, “What will you do for me tomorrow, next week, next year?” This is more than a demand for lasting durability; they want to invest their dollars with companies that are passionately committed to their future, their families’ future, their communities and the planet. What comes around definitely goes around.

4. Egocentric to eco-centric: Most women agree that the planet will long outlast the recession, so while the environment may have taken a very temporary back seat to the current economy, low-impact living fits naturally with their renewed sense of responsibility. Even though they can’t single-handedly save the earth, they’re exercising their eco-centricity with the brands they buy, and when value isn’t a question, the choice is clear.

5. More white space, please: What works in design is what women are craving in life. Simplicity, clarity, breathing room. Tired of feeling overstuffed with stuff and overwhelmed with choice, they’re not just de-cluttering their closets; they’re looking for retailers who allow them to shop more efficiently. Smart brands and retailers can offer relief by putting an end to product proliferation and purchase paralysis by providing fewer, better choices.