A recent survey of Canadians on the same topic reveals a more positive attitude, with more than 60% believing that the Canadian economy will respond positively this year. Marketing Sherpa says: "Regardless of company size, marketers look at 2010 as the year we emerge from the recession and start to see significant growth." Some small business respondents believe we're going to start to see light in 2009.

So, what does this mean for your 2009 marketing plans? The time is now to start making smart investments in your brand and online marketing initiatives. If things do start to turn around in Q3/Q4 of 2009 you want to be positioned to capitalize on that growth. A well-designed, informative and functional website should be a key strategy in your positioning.

Why put off tomorrow what you can do today? You know your competitors are thinking the same thing and odds are if you're not positioned to take advantage of economic growth they will be.

Is your website performing how you want it to? What role does it play in your company's marketing plan? Do you use email marketing to generate leads and sales? Do you know who your site visitors are? How do you engage and retain their attention?

It's never too late to improve your online presence, but you're going to get a better return on investment if you do it now vs. sometime in 2010.