Pivot your marketing through uncertainty

The last few years have shown how quickly the world can change. Back in 2020, Covid reshaped how people behave and how organisations communicate. Since then, continuous economic turmoil have forced teams to rethink priorities and today as I write, a small strait of water is changing business decisions and where budget is spent.

For marketers, this creates a really simple reality, stability is no longer the default. Our plans must work in a landscape that moves, and our teams must be ready to move with it. For younger marketers this is all they know, which makes me sad. For older marketers we have to lead our teams within a world that is shaped by movement rather than stability.

As a Head of Marketing and a business owner, I have learned that when uncertainty increases, two actions become essential. We must review our strategy with honesty, and we must build a mindset that supports adaptation. In this blog I’m going to cover these two approaches to help other marketers reach their goals this year.

1. Review your current strategy and your current capabilities

When the environment changes, the first step is not to rewrite everything. It is to look closely at what you already have in place.
Strategies are built on assumptions about audience behaviour, budgets, internal capacity and market conditions. When those conditions shift, the plan may no longer deliver the results you expected. A structured review helps you understand whether your activity is still aligned with organisational goals. This doesn’t have to be a hefty exercise, often getting your key players in a room with some assumptions is a good starting point. Bolster the conversations feeling with research and fact ahead of any decisions.

Useful questions include:
• Are our channels still performing in the way we planned
• Has our audience changed how they search, buy or engage
• Are we measuring the right things
• Do our priorities still match the organisation’s priorities
• Does the product or service itself need to adjust, and if so, which teams need to be involved.

Review your technology stack

Marketing technology has changed dramatically in a short period of time. AI tools, automation platforms, analytics systems and content engines are evolving faster than most teams can keep up with. It is no longer enough to have a tech stack. You need to know whether it is still fit for purpose.

Ask yourself:
• Are we paying for tools we no longer use
• Are there gaps that slow us down or limit our insight
• Are we using the tools we have to their full potential
• Are there new technologies that could reduce workload or improve accuracy

A tech stack review is not about chasing shiny objects. It is about making sure your tools support your strategy rather than distract from it. Like in our personal lives where we may have too many subscriptions, we need to make sure our technology is working hard for us, and returning value.

Review your team’s skills

Technology only works when people know how to use it. Many marketing teams are now facing a capability gap. AI is changing content production, analytics tools require deeper data literacy and automation platforms demand new workflows. I don’t believe this means less staff in your team necessarily, but the staff need to upskilled to thrive in this environment. Now more than ever is the need to recruit the best of the best, and AI can do the rest.

This might mean:
• Training teams in AI assisted content creation
• Improving data interpretation skills
• Building confidence in automation tools
• Strengthening digital planning and measurement skills

A team that is confident with its tools is far more resilient when the environment changes.

2. Develop an Adaptive Intent Mindset

This is not a growth mindset. It is something more practical. I call it Adaptive Intent.
Adaptive Intent means staying committed to the outcome while being willing to change the route. If you’ve mastered it, you will have the ability to adjust plans without losing direction. It helps teams respond intelligently to new technology, budget pressures, political shifts and unexpected events.

Adaptive Intent encourages teams to:
• Test new approaches without fear of failure
• Reallocate resources quickly when priorities change
• Use data to guide decisions rather than habit
• Stay calm when plans need to be rewritten

But it is not always easy. There are real barriers that can get in the way. I am lucky to have worked previously in an innovation strategy environment so this became second nature, but for many this is something to work at so it becomes instinctive.

Barriers to an Adaptive Intent Mindset

Even the most capable teams can struggle to adapt. Common barriers include:

1. Comfort with the familiar
   People naturally prefer what they know. Established processes feel safe, even when they are no longer effective.
2. Fear of making the wrong decision
   In uncertain environments, teams can become cautious. The risk of choosing the wrong path can feel greater than the risk of standing still.
3. Overloaded teams
   When workloads are high, there is little space to think, reflect or experiment. Adaptation requires capacity.
4. Lack of clarity from leadership
   If the organisation’s direction is unclear, teams find it harder to pivot with confidence.
5. Skills gaps
   When people do not feel confident with new tools or techniques, they are less likely to embrace change.
6. Misaligned incentives
   If teams are rewarded for consistency rather than improvement, adaptation becomes harder.

Recognising these barriers is the first step to overcoming them. Adaptive Intent is not about being endlessly flexible. It is about creating the conditions where change is possible and purposeful.

What are you going to do next?

The first steps are the hardest but it’s all about practice. Read a few books around pivoting. I have found ‘The Lean Start Up’ really handy – whilst I’m not in a start up, the lessons learnt really help with pivoting your mindset. ‘Who moved my cheese’ is also an oldie but a goodie for this topic.
Uncertainty is not going away. But marketers who regularly review their strategy, assess their technology and capability gaps, and build Adaptive Intent into their culture will be better placed to navigate whatever comes next.
Marketing that is reactive is not doing you justice, you miss the core of marketing strategy and turn your marketing function into an output service only. Being prepared and helping to push your business forward through uncertainty positions you as a strategic marketing leader and provides your company with a far more valuable resource.

If you need support

Here at DigitalB, we partner with organisations to support their marketing to achieve growth. Our audit and reporting services give you a clear view of what is working, what is not and where to focus next. Our coaching programmes support teams in learning how to pivot with confidence, strengthen their capabilities and apply Adaptive Intent in practice.
If you want to steady your marketing approach in uncertain times, we can help you take the next step.

 If you have any questions or want to explore what pivoting means for your organisation, feel free to get in touch with me: edwina@digitalb.co.uk