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Using downcycles to build strategic advantage

Using downcycles to build strategic advantage

Fast Company2 hours ago
For many B2B teams, summer is a 'soft quarter.' Sales slow down, prospects are traveling, team members take time off, and major launches get pushed to Q4. It's easy to see this lull as a necessary evil, a time to coast until things pick back up.
But what if you flipped that perspective? What if these quieter periods were actually the perfect opportunity to tackle the foundational work that always gets deprioritized during active sales cycles?
At my company, Wunderdogs, we help teams make the most of their brand through both large, strategic projects and smaller, hard-hitting ones. While you probably can't complete a full brand overhaul in a few months, you can make meaningful progress on key areas that will set you up for success when business accelerates again.
Here's where to focus your efforts for maximum impact:
AUDITING FOR YOUR BRAND'S WEAKEST LINK
Before diving into improvements, you need to understand where your brand needs the most attention. Some areas that often yield quick wins include messaging, UX/UI, content, and SEO. But how do you identify which should be your priority?
Start with the data you already have. Your existing metrics can tell you a lot about where problems might be hiding.
Messaging issues often show up as high bounce rates on key pages, low email engagement, or prospects consistently asking the same clarifying questions. If your sales team is spending significant time explaining what you actually do, your messaging isn't pulling its weight.
UX/UI problems reveal themselves through usage analytics. Look for pages with high drop-off rates, features with low adoption, or an uptick in certain types of support requests. If users are getting stuck in the same places, that's valuable information you can act on.
Content gaps become apparent when you deeply analyze performance. Which pieces actually generate qualified leads? What resources does your sales team share most often? If there's a mismatch between what you're creating and what's driving results, it's time to reassess.
SEO weaknesses are perhaps the easiest to spot. Run a basic audit using tools like Semrush or Ahrefs. Check your rankings for key terms, look for technical issues like broken links or slow page speeds, and see how you stack up against competitors. Poor search performance can indicate a need to refine your SEO basics, but can also reflect deeper issues with how you're positioning yourself in the market.
QUICK INCREMENTAL CHANGES FOR BEST RESULTS
Once you've identified your priorities, resist the temptation to overhaul everything at once. Instead, focus on targeted improvements that can be implemented relatively quickly.
For messaging, start with your sales enablement materials. Review your email templates, demo scripts, and sales decks. Are they addressing the pain points prospects actually have, or the ones you assume they have? Update these materials based on real customer feedback and common objections. These changes can be implemented quickly and measured immediately through response rates and meeting bookings.
UX/UI improvements don't always mean major redesigns. Sometimes the highest-impact changes are the simplest: clarifying form labels, adding progress indicators to multi-step processes, or improving error messages. Focus on removing friction rather than adding features.
When it comes to content, optimization often beats creation. Update your top-performing pieces with fresh data and examples. Add clear calls-to-action to high-traffic pages. Create templates that will make future content creation more efficient. Make what you have work harder before creating something new.
SEO gains can come from addressing technical basics. Improve page load speeds, fix broken internal links, update meta descriptions, and ensure your site structure makes sense. These foundational improvements create a multiplier effect for all your other marketing efforts.
SETTING UP FOR BIGGER PROJECTS
Sometimes your audit reveals that incremental fixes won't be enough and that what you really need is a more strategic shift. A lull in typical activities is the perfect time to lay the groundwork for larger initiatives.
Major brand overhauls succeed when they're built on solid foundations. Use this time to revisit your brand fundamentals: mission, vision, values, and positioning. These elements are the north star that guides every other decision.
Organize strategic sessions or team off-sites to really dig into these questions. The outcome of these sessions will be valuable, but it's the process of engaging with them that will help your team get aligned around your core principles. When everyone understands and believes in the brand foundation, execution tends to become much smoother.
Document everything thoroughly: Clear brand foundations and messaging frameworks will pay dividends when things get busy again. Think of it as creating a playbook that you can easily use to brief collaborators and align your internal team.
MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY CYCLE
The reality is that business cycles aren't going away. There will always be busy seasons and quiet periods. Slower periods offer the space to step back and strengthen your foundation without the pressure of immediate deadlines. Whether you focus on quick wins or lay the groundwork for bigger changes, the improvements you make during downcycles compound over time.
When business picks back up (and it usually does) you'll be glad you used the quiet time wisely. Your messaging will be clearer, your user experience smoother, and your team more aligned around what really matters. This kind of strategic advantage makes all the difference when things get busy again.
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