There is a lot of technology available on the market which can reduce the marketing expenditure of a small business in IT, according to a major British organisation.

According to the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), certain systems are able to help businesses connect with the consumer more effectively during the recession, though it needs to be properly tested first to ensure it works well.

Thomas Brown, the research projects manager at the CIM, stated that more questionable techniques should be avoided altogether, such as the sending of a high volume of newsletters to personal inboxes.

He explained: "Be sensitive to the amount of e-communications people receive and don't be cavalier when it comes to data protection and privacy communication. There is lots of legislation on personalising communications, so be ethical."

According to a white paper released by the CIM today, other techniques which businesses could adopt for marketing in the recession include the strengthening of campaigns by showing solidarity with the consumer, as well as avoiding the discounting of strong brands for the sake of sales.

A recent Connect survey found that the two major concerns about outsourcing services like IT support were 'loss of control' (56 per cent) and 'budget over-runs' (43 per cent).