No one is talking about it, but everyone is feeling it. The economy is unsteady, interest rates are still high, the news is bleak. And yet, somehow, business marches on. Your inbox is still full of networking invites. Your team is still debating lead-gen targets. There are still stand-ups and standstills and Monday morning pipeline reviews, even when that pipeline is dry as dust.
The truth is: we’re operating in a time of normalization. Everyone is talking about how tough things are: how budgets are down 30%, how Q4 might be a wash, how tariffs, wars or elections are making everyone hold back. Even so, not much is actually changing in how we do business. We’ve normalized volatility to the point that we no longer feel the uncertainty spinning around us. The processes continue to run. The slides keep getting made. And for many, hope quietly hinges on the idea that things will get back to normal if we can just ride this out.
But here’s the hard truth: hope is not a strategy. If your revenue is down, if your market has shifted, if your customer is hesitating, then it’s time to stop pretending business as usual is good enough.
We’ve worked with leadership teams through downturns, executive shakeups, acquisitions and everything in between. Unfortunately, no one makes it out unscathed. There will be challenging decisions, painful moments and days when the path seems unclear. But we also know that the organizations who not only survive these moments but use them as a springboard for smarter growth have one thing in common: they choose to act. Here’s where to start.
1. Reassess your go-to-market strategy through a demand-side lens.
In stable times, we often build marketing strategies around what we want to sell or who we want to sell to. But when the market tightens, successful companies flip that approach: they start by deeply understanding what customers are willing to buy right now. What’s essential? What’s urgent? What feels safe? Now is the time to talk to customers, reevaluate positioning and revisit your go-to-market strategy. This work shouldn’t just live in marketing; it should be a cross-functional, comprehensive review of how you create value for customers and revenue for the company.
2. Kill your darlings — and get sharper about ROI.
We’re seeing a shift from “more is more” to “what actually works.” Whatever you’re spending on content, media, tools or tactics, you need to have a plan for measuring and valuing the lift that it creates. That doesn’t mean pulling the plug on mid- and top-of-funnel marketing. It means being ruthlessly focused on what matters most. Every dollar has to work harder and every effort needs to have an observable effect on the bottom line.
3. Rebuild trust with your internal teams.
Layoffs. Stalled bonuses. Uncertainty about what’s next. When your internal teams feel the squeeze but don’t hear a clear strategy from leadership, morale tanks fast. Smart leaders use moments like these to recommit to a vision and get realistic about the work that it will take to get there. That also includes bringing company values to life through daily interactions with staff. Now is the time to get clear. It’s not just about retention. It’s about helping your best people stay focused and confident when they’re needed most.
4. Rethink your brand’s relevance.
The brands that lead during downturns aren’t always the biggest — they’re the most relevant. They’re the ones that help their audiences solve today’s problems. That might mean updating your messaging, revisiting your brand promise or even refreshing your creative to reflect the world your customer is living in now. Relevance also means accessibility. Are you easy to find, easy to buy from, easy to understand? This might mean that you need to get creative with messaging and reconsider how you explain your unique value to your prospects.
5. Get closer to your sales team.
When leads slow down, the tension between sales and marketing amps up. Now is the time to close the gap: sit in on sales calls, shadow a rep and audit what’s happening after a lead converts. We help companies create channel-driven ecosystems that align sales and marketing efforts — because in uncertain times, no one can afford missed signals or botched handoffs. If your sales team isn’t armed with messaging, assets and follow-up tools that reflect the current reality, you’re burning opportunities you can’t afford to lose.
This isn’t the time to shrink back. It’s the time to get smarter.
A recession doesn’t mean you stop growing. It means you grow differently. At Ervin & Smith, we help leadership teams find that next gear: the one that drives clarity, confidence and calculated risk. Let’s stop pretending business as usual will get us through. Let’s build the business that’s ready for what’s next.