Okay, doom and gloom - the economy is in the toilet. We all know it, we’re all feeling it a little bit, but smart affiliates can ride this out just like any other bump in the road, smart affiliates can even capitalize on it.

I think somebody out there is now making buttons that say this, but the sentiment is true nonetheless; I absolutely refuse to participate in a recession.

My business is strong, my credit is good, lenders are still loaning me money and I will grow my affiliate marketing income over the coming months and years despite the world holding a little tighter to every dollar, yen and pound they have to spend over the faltering global economy.

The key to remember is that not every industry is affected the same way by a recession. A good example from the great depression is the entertainment industry. Counterintuitive maybe, but people spent a fortune on movie tickets during the depression.

“…as the Great Depression set in during the ’30s, movie attendance shot up to three times that of the best year in recent history.”

Source: Stats Show Movie Ticket Sales Rise During Economic Slumps

Only question there is; will they buy their tickets online? What about rentals, DVDs, etc? I did well enough pushing DVDs last year. Maybe I’ll get on that again.

Another interesting article caught my eye this morning. It’s from the San Francisco Sentinel entitled: Pet Pampering Still a Recession Proof Industry

“The American Pet Products Association estimates Americans will spend $43.4 billion this year on their pets — a figure that includes everything from treats to training — despite the dramatic slowdown in discretionary spending. That’s 26 percent higher than what U.S. consumers spent in 2004, the group said.”

Sorta’ glad I put up a discount pet supply site last week… After reading the article I’m now inspired to put up a pet gift ideas page to push hard during the holidays. If they’re still spending, I’d like to capture my chunk of the commissions. What other recession proof industries are out there?

Wikipedia has a decent list of recession proof industries. Seeing the list reminds me of more and more articles and news pieces I’ve seen lately related to spending during today’s faltering economy. One news piece mentioned an increase in spending on vehicle maintenance and repair as the flipside to dwindling auto sales. Another  talked about booming gun sales as more people start to worry about a potential increase in crime. I see vehicle repair, weapons industry and security/alarm services all made Wikipedia’s list.

I’m not suggesting you go build a site to flog movie tickets, guns, radiator fan belts and doggie chew toys, but I am saying THINK about your marketing as it relates to the world around you and you can grow your business despite the economy.