When the economy wobbles, headlines are grim, and customer behavior starts to shift, the instinct for many small businesses and nonprofits is to tighten the belt—and often, marketing is the first thing to go.
That’s a mistake.
Marketing isn’t a luxury; it’s a lifeline. Especially in uncertain times, your visibility, relevance, and connection with your audience matter more than ever. Customers and donors are still spending—but they’re being more careful about where. If they don’t hear from you, they’ll hear from someone else.
Here’s how to approach marketing during uncertain times, and what small organizations can do to stay visible, trusted, and top-of-mind.
1. Focus on Trust and Clarity
When people feel unsure, they look for stability. That’s your role.
What to do:
- Reassure your audience: Show them how you’re adapting, staying safe, staying open, or evolving your mission.
- Be transparent: Share updates openly—even the hard stuff. People respect honesty.
- Highlight impact: Remind donors or customers of the value you provide.
How to do it:
- Use email marketing to share updates.
- Post authentic stories on social media—photos, behind-the-scenes videos, or short personal messages.
- Update your website with current hours, policies, services, or programs.
2. Stay Consistent (Even If You Can’t Be Everywhere)
You don’t have to post daily or be on every platform. But you do have to be consistent.
What to do:
- Pick 1–2 platforms where your audience is active.
- Show up regularly with helpful, uplifting, or informative content.
How to do it:
- Use a free tool like Buffer or Later to schedule weekly posts.
- Repurpose content: Turn a blog post into an Instagram quote, a newsletter, and a LinkedIn article.
3. Shift Your Offer, Not Your Voice
People’s needs change during tough times. You might have to adapt your product, service, or donation ask—but your tone and values should remain the same.
What to do:
- Repackage what you offer: Add payment plans, bundle services, offer a digital version.
- For nonprofits: Offer new ways to give or volunteer that fit today’s realities.
How to do it:
- Survey your audience to understand their current needs.
- Update your marketing materials to reflect your new offerings—quickly and clearly.
4. Keep Your Eyes on the Data
Guessing won’t cut it right now.
What to do:
- Pay attention to what’s working and what isn’t.
- Watch your website traffic, email open rates, and social media engagement.
How to do it:
- Use Google Analytics to track site performance.
- Review social media insights weekly and adjust your posts accordingly.
- Look for trends over time—not just one bad (or good) day.
Why You May Not Want to DIY This
Yes, you can do all of this on your own. But here’s the reality: Modern digital marketing is built on systems—search engine algorithms, ad platforms, email marketing tools, social analytics dashboards, retargeting pixels, conversion rates, SEO structure, user experience design…the list goes on.
To do it right, you need time, expertise, and a willingness to learn tools that change constantly. If you’re already running your business or nonprofit full-time, trying to master all of this at once can feel like building a plane while flying it.
That’s where a trusted marketing consultant or agency comes in. Not to take over your voice, but to amplify it. Not to waste your money, but to make every dollar go further.
Because in uncertain times, the best investment you can make is in clarity—and connection. And good marketing does both.
Need help getting started? Let’s talk.
You don’t have to be a digital marketing expert. You just have to work with one.