Strong brands are like trust marks. Loyal customers have learned that strong brands do what they say they’re going to do; their products or services are consistent in quality and performance. And loyal customers become brand champions. This is the time to step up your efforts to give your core customers even more of what they have come to love you for. And your core customers will reward you for it by helping you spread the word about your brand.

Now more than ever, conversations between families, friends and at the water cooler are about how tough times are and what everyone is doing about it. People want to feel smart and in-the-know. So they tell others about the brands they love, the value, quality, consistency and dependability of the brands they use, the places they shop and the honesty and integrity of the people they have come to trust. But this can only happen if your brand messages have been articulated clearly and your core customers can not only repeat them back to you, but can convincingly share them with others.

Reinforce those messages now and you will win new loyal customers. Think of your marketing efforts as the lubricant that makes those peer-to-peer endorsements easier to communicate. Take advantage of the power of social networking, social media and social bookmarking.

And oh, by the way, advertising may become a relative “bargain” after November 4^th. Once the political ads are finished and the “uncertain” cut back on their budgets, media outlets may be more willing to negotiate.