Why Marketing Feels Less Predictable Now

A lot of business owners I’ve talked to this year have told me the same thing. Though they say they’re not changing their marketing tactics, the results are somehow feeling worse. Public interest spikes and then suddenly goes away, and ads suddenly stop working. 

It’s tempting to assume something is broken, but it’s not your fault: the truth is that marketing is suddenly less forgiving.

What Changed

The old marketing formula has been something like 1) a clever offer, 2) a sharper message, and 3) a better landing page. These things are still important, but they don’t mean what they used to. 

The way customers make their purchasing decisions has changed. Right now, market instability has people being more cautious. They’re absorbing more information and tending to delay decisions. The novelty of a new marketing message wears out quickly in an environment like this.

But customers do remember companies. Familiar businesses feel safer, and recognizable messages feel easier to trust. When a company has been consistent in presenting itself a certain way, it makes it easier mentally for customers to choose them.

This is why some businesses are feeling a bit of whiplash while others are feeling steadier.

Stop-And-Go Marketing Hurts More Now

When marketing results seem to get bad, we naturally want to change the marketing. Maybe we need to change the message or try a different angle? But while doing things like this feels logical, they reset your public’s memory when you do them.

We had one owner tell us about how they’d been chasing performance on a monthly basis. They replaced parts of their marketing approach when that part seemed to be losing momentum, and while they created a lot of activity in their business when they did this, there were very few new customers they ultimately added to their rolls. It seemed like the customers were noticing them but not remembering them.

Later, the business decided to commit to a single message and stick with it, volatility in the customer base dropped, and lows became less-low while highs became more repeatable.

Consistency increases profitability in marketing

Traffic Vs. Demand

Platforms can deliver traffic quickly, but they can’t change your customer base’s preferences.

One business that talked to us said they were using lots of paid leads, and when costs rose or algorithms changed, their results could easily go either way. It felt unpredictable, unfortunately because it was.

With effort, though, they were able to invest in consistent visibility over the long-term. They tried to use the same message and story over many months.

They still got important business from paid leads, but these became less important, so when they switched platforms, the business suffered less because demand had been built elsewhere.

What It Means To Be Predictable Now

Predictable marketing means fewer surprises and quicker recovery when numbers get temporarily bad.

Businesses that feel predictable reinforce what their customer base already knows; they don’t chase what’s new. They should understand that customers are spending a lot of time thinking and waiting now, and they only come back when it feels right. If your message isn’t there, and solid, when they return, their response won’t be predictable either.

What Owners Should Do

In the following year, I recommend that you choose a clear position and consistently repeat it. Try to show up even when you don’t need leads immediately.

Consistency will reassure your customers.

A Final Thought

Marketing feels less predictable now because customers are deciding what they’ll do more carefully. This rewards businesses that the customer can remember, and the customer can remember those businesses if they have stayed consistent in their branding and image. If your marketing feels shaky, don’t worry: just take the longer view. Stay consistent, visible, and recognizable, because your customers will find you predictable, and want to work with you, when they don’t have to re-learn who you are every time they see you.

You’re welcome to book time on my calendar if you’d like to talk through whether your current marketing just needs more time or has an issue needing correcting.