Three marketing truths for turbulent times

In my job, I am honored to interact with leaders from around the world, and the general view of the business world right now is somewhere between "uncertain" and "chaos."

How does marketing change in uncertain times?

Here are three marketing truths to hold on to when stormy seas are rocking your boat.

1. Never jeopardize trust.

Like most business leaders, I've faced rocky times. I've had the opportunity to cut corners, but I've always operated on one principle: Always do the right thing, even when it hurts.

Pain is temporary. Trust is forever.

Sometimes the role of marketing is to protect the brand. Never let your business make a move that jeopardizes trust.

Build strong brands as a steady anchor in turbulence.

2. Focus on the immediate business priorities.

There have been many times when I've had to abandon bold marketing plans amid cost-cutting and business crises.

When turbulence strikes, there is no time to cower or press for pet projects. Be a team player. Go all-in with the power of your experience to drive rapid customer acquisition and cash flow.

With ongoing economic pressure, proving impact is essential. A business crisis is an opportunity to build credibility and trust that will serve you well in the long term.

Last year, I discussed the tension between performance marketing and brand marketing with a creative director at a major New York agency. She said, "It's all performance marketing." So true.

Marketing creates customers. Let that be your guide when times are tough.

3. Conquer fear to grow.

One theme I explored in my book Audacious is how fear is the major obstacle to breakthrough creativity.

We're afraid of disrupting a routine, being turned down by the legal department, or jeopardizing our reputation. And yet, the only path to growth is change, especially when we are under the threat of replacement by AI.

Crisis is a time for renewal and reinvention, an opportunity to distance yourself from the competition.

One time, the company I worked for was in crisis and initiated bold moves to change the business. One colleague told me he was going "to hide" until the changes passed over. I embraced the changes (scary!) and led the effort. You can guess who was rewarded in the end and who was pushed aside.

Is this the time to push for Gen AI and agentic AI as critical levers for competitiveness? Lead the change, experiment at the frontier, and scale before global peers widen the gap.

History shows that the greatest brands -- and individuals -- distinguish themselves and grow in times of crisis.

I appreciate you and the time you took out of your day to read this! You can find more articles like this from me on the top-rated {grow} blog and while you’re there, take a look at my Marketing Companion podcast and my keynote speaking page. For news and insights find me on Twitter at @markwschaefer, to see what I do when I’m not working, follow me on Instagram, and discover my RISE community here.

Image courtesy MidJourney.