Investors troubled by a significant drop in the stock market may be considering all kinds of investment strategies to help stem their losses. But Edward Jones financial advisors say investors might better draw an analogy between fighting a bear market and battling a bear attack.

They offered the following other highlights for investing in a down market:

Stay the course. Stock market declines are normal and frequent and are not a reason to sell quality investments.

Bear markets are typically short and have historically been followed by bull markets. Keep in mind past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Bear markets are an opportunity to buy quality stocks at attractive prices.

Bear markets transfer shares to their rightful owners: those who understand what they own, and why they own it.

Don’t own investments today that you would not want to own in a bear market tomorrow. Quality investments typically have what it takes to bounce back. Lower-quality investments may not recover when the bear market ends.

Edward Jones provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliates, in Canada and the United Kingdom. Every aspect of the firm’s business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work. The firm’s 10,000-plus financial advisors work directly with more than 7 million clients to understand their personal goals — from college savings to retirement — and create long-term investment strategies that emphasize a well-balanced portfolio and a buy-and-hold strategy.