How can brands deal with uncertainty?
Economic ups and downs are nothing new, but it feels like we’re about to enter a tough stretch following some prolonged inflationary pressures. What can a small brand do to weather the storm, or even grow?
In the latest Brand Sauce Podcast, I livestreamed on TikTok and talked about the importance of staying active, media optimization, pivoting product offerings, and more.
You can watch on YouTube, or listen through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts using this code to subscribe.
If you have a question for a future episode, please send it to me at brandsaucepod@gmail.com!
Summary:
Good morning! Things are wild right now. I wanted to do a live Q&A about brand building during uncertain times. If you’re an entrepreneur, creator, or brand builder, let’s talk. It’s a scary time, especially for small businesses and creators. There’s so much uncertainty. I’ve lived through periods like this before, and I’ve gained a lot of practical experience in advertising and marketing that I think can help.
If you’re working on behalf of a small brand or building something of your own, now’s the time to talk strategy. There’s a lot going on that could affect consumer confidence, and reports suggest uncertainty is still high. I remember back in 2008, people were really scared to spend money. I was working multiple part-time jobs, living paycheck to paycheck, and not spending unless I absolutely had to.
If you’re building or supporting a brand, it’s completely reasonable to be nervous right now. Inflation is looming, and people are tightening their budgets. That affects both consumers and businesses alike. Hey Rene, good to see you! I think I saw you recently at a ribbon cutting for a new restaurant in Chicago—looked like a beautiful day!
I went live because I’m not sure what’s going to happen with TikTok in the U.S. in the next few days, and there’s just so much macroeconomic craziness happening. For marketers, creators, and small businesses, uncertainty is the name of the game right now. So I wanted to open the floor for questions and discussions around how we can keep our brands top-of-mind during these tough times.
Consumer spending habits are shifting. People are cutting back. But even in times of uncertainty, people still indulge a little—especially in experiences or small luxuries. If you’re selling something more on the “frivolous” side, there’s still hope. You just need to make a compelling case for the value and joy it brings.
One of the key strategies is consistency. You have to keep marketing, both organically and through paid efforts if you can afford it. And when you do market, make sure your messaging isn’t just about how much you love your brand—focus on what your product or service does for your audience. Speak directly to their needs and the benefits they’ll receive.
Also, a shoutout to Les Binet and Peter Field’s work, The Long and the Short of It. It’s a critical piece of marketing literature that shows brands who consistently invest in long-term brand building (not just short-term promotions) see far more sustained success. Even big brands can be wary of spending in uncertain times, but small businesses especially need to be cautious about cutting too much. If you disappear from your audience’s view, you become forgettable.
Something I’ve talked about before—also in a free ebook I’ve got on my site—is being careful with promotions. If you discount too often or too deeply, it can devalue your brand. Instead, think about creating a new, lower-cost offering that doesn’t undercut your main product. Like during COVID, some restaurants offered cocktail kits for at-home use. It wasn’t just a takeaway version of the same product—it was a new experience that people still found valuable.
Also, if you’ve had to make a big change—like a rebrand or name change—communicate that aggressively and clearly. I remember reading about a restaurant that changed names and couldn’t figure out why business dropped. They weren’t loud enough about the change, and people assumed it was a totally new place with new ownership. Once they started promoting that only the name had changed, bookings started to pick up again.
We also touched on AI. I’ve used it in marketing—mostly as a time-saving tool, like helping with first drafts of emails or headlines. It’s not a replacement, but it can definitely speed up processes. Just be careful—if you rely too much on AI, your content can start to sound like everyone else’s. That “AI voice” is real and can make your brand blend in instead of stand out.
Same goes for design tools like Canva—great for accessibility and speed, but try to customize your visuals to make them distinct. I’m not a designer, but I’ve learned that having a memorable and unique visual identity matters even more when you can’t spend a lot on marketing.
The biggest takeaway from all of this? Consistency. Keep showing up. Keep posting. Keep emailing. Keep connecting. You never know which piece of content might hit at the right time. And remember: even though times are uncertain, there’s an opportunity for smaller brands to grow if others pull back and you stay steady.
Lastly, thank you to everyone who stopped by the livestream. It means a lot to connect with other people who are thinking through the same challenges. Things feel weird right now, and they might stay that way for a while. But with strategy, bravery, and consistency, you can navigate through this and maybe even come out stronger.