How entrepreneurs can nonetheless thrive in a recession: Knowledgeable a…

When life offers you lemons, make lemonade. Proper?

There’s quite a bit to glean from turbulent instances just like the 2008 recession and the more moderen COVID-19 pandemic. Inside these durations are droves of case research proving that whether or not or not an organization comes out thriving is basically depending on the energy of its advertising and marketing. It’s no coincidence that those who leaned in are those nonetheless prospering.

Take Hyundai, for instance, a model that launched the Hyundai Assurance Program in 2009 (a response to the 2008 recession), a marketing campaign permitting clients to cease funds and return their vehicles within the occasion they had been laid off. And whereas U.S. auto gross sales dropped by greater than 20% in 2009, Hyundai’s U.S. gross sales elevated by 8%.

Want additional convincing? Learn on for extra examples and skilled recommendation.

Desk of Contents

Is one other recession really coming?

Predicting the following recession is like forecasting the climate (particularly for these of us, like myself, dwelling in temperamental London): Figuring out precisely when, why, and the way extreme a recession can be is difficult, contemplating the number of components impacting the markets that drive financial climates.

Nonetheless — and understandably — anticipation of the following recession is each pervasive and anxiety-inducing. One in three entrepreneurs suppose a recession may have an excellent greater impression on advertising and marketing than COVID-19. Based on HubSpot’s 2025 Advertising Report, 41% of entrepreneurs expressed unfavorable sentiments about financial situations impacting their advertising and marketing methods.

“I feel worry is what sits on the backside of all of this,” says Robyn MacMillan, artistic director and cofounder of The Everburn Company. “The manufacturers that may see previous the form of hill are those that truly are in a position to climate the storm.”

Is a recession imminent? In all probability (some argue we’re already initially of 1). However does that imply you must panic? Positively not.

What Entrepreneurs Can Study From Previous Slowdowns

“Historical past has receipts,” says MacMillan. “Recessions don’t really cease folks from spending or buying. We nonetheless want companies. We nonetheless want platforms.”

New 2025 HubSpot information on shopper spending habits backs her declare, discovering that quite than slowing down or halting purchases, customers are reacting to a possible recession just by spending extra rigorously.

“I interpret this as customers being much less panicked and extra pragmatic about potential downturns due to what they realized about dealing with their monetary conditions from the financial results of COVID-19 and post-pandemic inflation,” says Tristen Taylor, who carried out the survey.

In different phrases, your clients aren’t as panicked as you may suppose. So why must you be?

Take a breath and bear in mind: Manufacturers (you!) nonetheless want advertising and marketing — arguably much more throughout a recession than at some other time. And the manufacturers that keep adaptable and centered can nonetheless develop.

Learn on to find high recession ideas to keep in mind as a marketer.

Suggestions for Making ready and Navigating Recessions

1. Use information to attach with clients.

Recessions are very important instances for entrepreneurs to audit their relationships with clients.

An important step in recession-proofing your technique is gathering real-time information on shopper attitudes, preferences, and behaviors. With that perception, you may refine your advertising and marketing efforts — guaranteeing your messaging isn’t solely well timed, however really resonates along with your viewers.

“We make too many assumptions as entrepreneurs,” says MacMillan. “Take away these assumptions and actually connect with the info, see what sentiment evaluation you are able to do to then see what your shopper wants proper now.”

2. Don’t underestimate the facility of social media — even when your finances is reduce.

When requested which advertising and marketing ways they’d prioritize if financial uncertainty continues, 23% of respondents in a 2025 HubSpot survey pointed to social media advertising and marketing. In case you ask me, this quantity needs to be increased, contemplating HubSpot’s State of Shopper Traits report discovered that social media is the highest channel for product discovery for Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X.

Whereas a recession usually means tighter budgets, that doesn’t imply your social technique ought to take a again seat.

Listed below are a couple of high-impact, budget-friendly focus areas to maintain your social presence robust with out overspending:

Consumer-Generated Content material

Consumer-Generated Content material (UGC) — something created and shared by clients — is among the strongest advertising and marketing instruments. For one, it’s free. However extra importantly, it drives natural belief, real engagement, and a way of relatability.

We noticed a surge in UGC through the pandemic. Why? “As a result of folks had extra time,” says MacMillan. And for a lot of in-house advertising and marketing groups, it grew to become a lifeline.

MacMillan vividly remembers one consumer, a cybersecurity firm in Gothenburg, Sweden, that thrived by tapping into the facility of UGC and leaning into relatable, on a regular basis case research. Moderately than spotlighting advanced product options or tech-heavy stats, they centered on human tales — just like the one about an aged mother who by chance clicked a phishing hyperlink disguised as a promotion from M&S, which led to a checking account breach.

“Their scalability went off the charts as quickly as they leaned extra into that humanistic aspect that folks crave throughout a fearful time,” MacMillan provides.

New Platforms and Options

In one other current HubSpot weblog, I wrote in regards to the social media platforms entrepreneurs needs to be keeping track of in 2025. The identical recommendation stands on the recession-prep entrance.

Leveraging rising options and traits like stay video and audio might help your model keep related and linked. In case your model is already energetic on Instagram (chances are high, it’s), take into account how Threads can complement your attain and engagement.

Plus, by no means underestimate the facility of content material that entertains. In demanding instances, folks crave causes to smile and interact much more. Behind-the-scenes content material can be efficient for producing belief, giving your viewers a real take a look at the folks and processes behind your model — one thing clients crave in uncertainty. Partake Meals, which coincidentally scaled massively through the pandemic, does an awesome job with this (in addition to UGC).

3. Lean into the model loyalty it’s a must to continue to grow your viewers.

Closely take into account sharpening your technique round customized experiences — customized and individualized curations of messages, content material, merchandise, or experiences. Whether or not you supply a reduction code to your most frequent clients or ship them a customized card thanking them for his or her loyalty, little tokens of appreciation can go a good distance.

“Actually lean into that neighborhood you’ve created — make it possible for they’re engaged, that they really feel seen, heard and valued, quite than simply being service,” MacMillan. “They’ll then grow to be advocates and associates.”

4. Promote low-cost or high-value merchandise.

Whether or not you’re promoting inexpensive necessities or premium items, the important thing throughout a recession is positioning: The way you body your worth makes all of the distinction.

“In case your merchandise are cheaper or present higher bang for the buck than opponents’, concentrate on gaining market share from clients who beforehand swore by pricier choices,” says Maxwell Iskiev, who leads analysis initiatives at HubSpot.

On the flip aspect, Iskiev correctly provides: “In the meantime, luxurious manufacturers can concentrate on advertising and marketing the added worth clients get for purchasing with them. For instance, a model promoting hand-stitched leather-based wallets can place itself as a longer-lasting various to a reduction pockets.”

Reasonably priced Instruments and Know-how to Leverage

Among the finest methods to streamline efforts in significantly turbulent instances is automating repetitive and handbook duties — from e-mail advertising and marketing to social posts and advert campaigns. This not solely saves time, however frees you as much as concentrate on high-impact, strategic tasks. AI also can assist optimize your efforts, bettering focusing on, and driving down prices.

Beneath are a couple of instruments I like that you may additionally discover useful.

1. Advertising Hub

Whereas new know-how can really feel intimidating to implement at first, HubSpot’s choices are implausible instruments you ought to be leaning into, if you happen to’re not already.

HubSpot’s Advertising Hub comes geared up with AI and automation baked in, streamlining all the pieces from onboarding to day-to-day use, even for groups that aren’t extremely technical.

In my expertise, the automated workflows, information assortment for every lead, and prompts on how you can join with every prospect make Advertising Hub a useful asset for entrepreneurs. Based on our analysis, automating fundamental duties can save entrepreneurs as much as 2.5 hours each day — that means they’ve extra time to put money into high-level duties.

I additionally wish to spotlight a brand new function that comes with the Skilled and Enterprise plans: Breeze social media agent. It helps you from starting to finish along with your social media technique. It creates and automates a multichannel social media technique to your model by creating belongings and posting them at superb instances. Breeze additionally retains monitor of efficiency metrics so you may see engagement and success ranges. It additional analyzes viewers information to broaden your attain.

As I discussed above, natural social media is a cost-effective and extremely efficient type of advertising and marketing, so including AI that will help you maximize its potential is a should in my view.

Core Options

• Automation of handbook duties to save lots of entrepreneurs time.
• AI brokers to help with social media administration and help guests to your web site.
• Lead scoring instruments primarily based on buyer information for focused outreach.
• Automated customized e-mail campaigns to succeed in your viewers at scale.
• Information assortment and evaluation introduced in clear dashboards so you may perceive your clients and tweak your technique accordingly.

Pricing: Free, Starter – $15 per seat/month, Skilled – $890/month for 3 seats, and Enterprise – $3,600/month for five seats.

2. Buffer

If you wish to zero in on social media advertising and marketing, one other inexpensive automation device for social media I like is Buffer.

Every thing you want for a profitable social media marketing campaign is included on this single software program device with a simple interface. I can merely toggle the tabs on the high to Create, Publish, Analyze, and Have interaction for each bit of content material. Buffer connects with all main social platforms, so you may design and format your content material in accordance with the necessities of every, plus schedule issues to publish at the perfect instances.

I additionally like that I can see how my content material is doing throughout all social platforms in a single easy-to-use dashboard. Lastly, Buffer retains monitor of all of your posts and viewers feedback so you may reply with out something slipping via the cracks. It makes the overwhelming job of staying on high of all social engagement manageable.

Core Options

• Create your campaigns with their design instruments.
• Publish and monitor your social posts from a single platform.
• AI assistants make it easier to at each step of the method.
• Content material collaboration for a number of teammates to work collectively seamlessly.
• Social channels: Bluesky, Google Enterprise Profile, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Fb, Instagram, Threads, Mastodon, and X.

Pricing: Free – one consumer account and three channels; Necessities – $5/month for one consumer and one channel, however extra options; Workforce – $10/month for limitless customers and one channel with all their options.

3. Hootsuite

One other all-in-one social media administration platform, Hootsuite helps you create, handle, and sharpen your social media technique.

I feel its social listening function is actually useful for locating and evaluating traits, hashtags, subjects, and occasions throughout social platforms. Staying on high of this stuff will make it easier to monitor model sentiment, monitor efficiency, and predict traits. One other benefit of their social listening device is that yow will discover UGC and influencers who will work nicely along with your model and providing.

Not solely does Hootsuite make it easier to with natural social media, however you too can handle paid adverts via your Hootsuite account. Your natural and paid methods can work collectively seamlessly by watching what performs nicely and what doesn’t, and monitoring your adverts throughout all platforms.

Core Options

• Publish and schedule all of your social posts from one platform.
• Observe and report on publish, marketing campaign, and advert efficiency.
• Inbox to gather all feedback and DMs throughout your social belongings so you may reply in a well timed method and by no means lose monitor.
• OwlyWriter AI helps write copy to your social posts, whether or not it’s captions, hashtags, or long-form posts. It additionally generates concepts so that you by no means get caught.

Pricing: Normal – $99 per consumer/month; Superior – $249 per consumer/month; Enterprise – customized pricing.

4. Canva

On the lookout for a device to help with design? Canva stays a go-to artistic powerhouse that each marketer ought to have of their again pocket.

You possibly can design something with Canva. It options 1000’s of templates and a drag-and-drop editor that permits you to rapidly personalize something to your model. I exploit it on a regular basis, and I really like the flexibility it affords as a result of I can create social posts with the appropriate format for every platform, design internet pages, and create shows to share with my clients.

I particularly respect that I can rapidly create social posts that look skilled and match my branding with Canva. I can create a constant aesthetic throughout all social channels utilizing the identical fundamental template from Canva.

Core Options

• The photograph editor lets you do fundamental photograph modifying all inside Canva.
• The brand new AI assistant, whereas nonetheless in improvement, is a enjoyable device since you simply need to enter a immediate along with your thought and Canva will rapidly generate a number of designs. You possibly can then additional immediate it to switch one you want however aren’t fairly glad with.
• There are over 400,000 professionally designed templates in Canva’s template library. In case you don’t wish to begin with a clean web page, certainly one of these templates is certain to provide the basis to start out designing.
• The drag-and-drop editor allows you to visually design your artistic belongings with none coding.

Pricing: Canva Free; Canva Professional – $120/yr for one particular person; Canva Groups – $100 per particular person/yr; Canva Enterprise – customized pricing.

Bear in mind: It’s not your first (or final) unprecedented time.

“Don’t amputate the arm that feeds your future,” warns MacMillan.

In different phrases, slicing advertising and marketing completely throughout robust instances may supply short-term reduction, however it could actually price you long-term progress. Turbulent instances take a look at resilience, however in addition they reward manufacturers that proceed to point out up with readability, creativity, and consistency.

We’ve realized from previous recessions that those that make investments thoughtfully of their advertising and marketing not solely survive however usually come out stronger.

Editor’s be aware: This text was initially revealed in March 2023 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.