Don't cut marketing when times get tough. Do it smarter

With the latest round of volatility going on in the world, I’ve started having a familiar old conversation again!

The economy is uncertain…costs are going up…hiring feels risky etc etc. BUT the pressure to grow hasn’t gone away.

And what invariably happens is that marketing takes a hit. Budgets get trimmed, the senior marketing hire gets pushed back, leavers don’t get backfilled and somebody more junior gets more responsibility added to their plate.

Things get put on hold and marketing gets stretched.

I totally understand the caution. We’re in uncertain times after all.

But marketing doesn’t become less important when times are tough. I think it becomes more important. It helps you protect your position, differentiate yourself from the competition. And it also helps you get ready to capitalise when better times return.

The businesses that keep strategic marketing thinking going are the ones that will come out ahead. If not you risk losing momentum, clarity and the commercial discipline that keeps everybody honest about what they’re doing and why.

Marketing is a driver of revenue, reputation and of resilience. And so, treating it as something you can pause comes with consequences.  

In times of uncertainty wouldn’t it be better to find a smarter way to stay sharp with your marketing, rather than a cheaper way to stand still or drift backwards?

Flexible or fractional senior marketing leadership exists exactly for moments like this. The commercial thinking and strategic experience of a seasoned marketer, without the full-time overhead. Deployed when you need it and scaled as your business demands it.

I've seen it work in large corporates, ambitious SMEs and businesses at inflection points in their growth.

That’s got to be something worth thinking about.