The Myth of Recession-Proof B2B Marketing & 3 Things To Do Instead

The myth of recession-proof B2B marketing businessman holding umbrella against headwinds image

Is recession-proof marketing genuinely possible in the uncertain headwinds of 2023, and — if not — what can B2B marketers do instead to best weather the storm?

Recession-proof B2B marketing may sound reassuring, however blindly buying into it could at the very least cause unwanted surprises, and at the worst end up proving disastrous.

Thankfully, there are marketing tactics that persevere better than others during uncertainty, however none will be quite the digital panacea that some have been recently touting.

97 percent of chief marketing officers and brand managers have said that inflation and recession concerns were a top concern when it comes to what keeps them awake at night, according to the most recent “Marketing on My Mind” survey — concerns that were new to the 2022 edition of the list.

“Marketers must make the case to the C-suite that a recession may actually be the most opportune time for brands to double-down on ad spending and seize market share,” Chuck Kapelke recently observed in the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) look at “How Marketers Avoid Potholes in the Road Ahead.”

[bctt tweet=”“Marketers must make the case to the C-suite that a recession may actually be the most opportune time for brands to double-down on ad spending and seize market share.” — Chuck Kapelke for @ANAmarketers” username=”toprank”]

Let’s take a look at three helpful things B2B marketers can do to positively address economic shifts while placing the downturn in its proper long-term context.

1 — Tap Trust & Authenticity

One straightforward way to armor your B2B marketing against recession-derived threats is to tap into the fundamental power of trust and authenticity.

Building trust with customers has seen an increased focus among B2B marketers.

“B2B marketers see this time as an opportunity to invest in building relationships and trust with customers (28%), and a chance to stay relevant and rethink their brand story (22%),” Tequia Burt, editor-in-chief of the LinkedIn* Collective and the LinkedIn Ads Blog, observed in “Companies Focus on Building Brand to Drive a Faster Recovery After the Downturn.”

Making an effort to better understand customers and their 2023 obstacles is another way to make the most of economic uncertainty.

“Retention rates are softening, conversion rates are lessening, and there seems to be an increase in discount seeking and a more frugal mindset,” Joanna Lord, industry chief marketing officer and advisor recently noted in “The State of Consumers in 2023: The Great Disconnection.”

“This will require us to deeply understand our customers — their fears, concerns, upcoming challenges and find news and authentic ways to speak to them,” Lord added.

To help strengthen trust and authenticity in B2B marketing efforts, the following articles we’ve published feature tactics that can also prove especially helpful in 2023: