A report from Bredin Business Information says major marketers continue to move online to reach small to medium-size businesses, despite midmarket preferences for some offline tactics such as direct mail and tradeshows.

BBI conducted two surveys in late January and February, asking 50 leading marketers about their outreach and research efforts for 2009 and 741 SMBs about their online and offline media preferences, top business concerns and brand ratings. The surveys found SMBs are relying less on traditional marketing tactics because of the economic downturn, but that's one of the top ways they like to receive product and service information, major marketers said.

Among offline tactics, marketers will increase spending on PR and telemarketing versus 2008, while direct mail, print advertising and trade shows will decline. Marketers said they plan to increase spending on every online tactic surveyed, especially microsites and resource centers, social networking and Webinars.

“Marketers are clearly reacting to the difficult economy by using offline tactics much more selectively. They are also moving online aggressively, to reach SMBs efficiently and learn how to get the most from new media opportunities,” said BBI CEO Stu Richards. “However, our survey of SMBs indicates that business owners are not nearly as enthusiastic about many online formats for business purposes – such as social networking – as marketers are.”