What the Pandemic Taught Us About Supporting Small Business
(And Why Marketing Still Matters in a Tariff Crisis)
Remember those early pandemic days? When everyone was baking sourdough, “unprecedented” was the word of the year, and small businesses were clinging on for dear life?
It was brutal. But it also showed us what real support could look like. Governments stepped in with wage subsidies, emergency rent relief, and grants to help small businesses keep the lights on. Communities rallied behind local shops. “Support small” became a movement.
But while there was heart and hustle, there were also big cracks in the system.
Who Slipped Through the Cracks?
CEWS, CERB, emergency grants—they were better than nothing. But if you were self-employed, new to business, or paying yourself in dividends? You probably slipped through the cracks.
Many entrepreneurs, contractors, and small-but-mighty teams found themselves completely unsupported.
Fast forward to 2025, and we’re facing another wave of economic pressure—only this time, the support may not come at all. Tariff shocks aren’t like pandemics: there’s no lockdown, no press conference, no CERB 2.0.
Instead, it’s a slow bleed. A ripple effect from manufacturing and logistics all the way to your local salon, yoga studio, or HVAC company.
And once again, the folks most likely to be affected—BIPOC founders, women-owned businesses, solo entrepreneurs—are the ones least likely to get fast or fair help.
Here’s the Truth: Marketing Isn’t Optional, It’s Survival
When revenue feels unpredictable, marketing is usually the first budget line to get slashed. We get it — it feels like a “nice to have” compared to paying your team, keeping up with rising costs, or, you know… buying groceries.
But if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s this: the businesses that stayed visible were the ones that stuck around.
In fact, during the pandemic:
61% of companies expanded their marketing channels (Harvard)
24% launched direct-to-consumer offerings (Harvard)
Brands that pause marketing during a recession? They lost 24% of brand awareness in just 6 months (Millward Brown Report)
And worse? Some take up to 5 years to rebuild trust. (The History of Advertising in a Recession)
Marketing isn’t just about growth when times are good. It’s about resilience when things get hard. It keeps your audience warm, your message consistent, and your brand top of mind — so when people are ready to spend again, they’re spending with you.
So How Do You Show Up When Everything Feels Shaky?
Here are a few low-pressure, high-impact ways to keep showing up — even when money feels tight and the world’s a little sideways:
1. Keep talking to your people.
Show up in inboxes, in feeds, and in communities. You don’t need a fancy ad budget. Just be real, be useful, and be present. This is your direct-to-consumer moment! Controlling your customer relationship is powerful. Content marketing and strong social presence = ownership of your pipeline. Consistency beats perfection every time.
2. Repurpose like a pro.
That blog post? Turn it into 3 LinkedIn posts, an email tip, and a reel. Max out what you’ve already made instead of reinventing the wheel.
4. Lean into partnerships.
Cross-promote with other small businesses. Share the love. Borrow each other’s audiences. You’re not in this alone, we rise together and collaboration is key.
5. Stay human.
Be honest about the challenges. Your people want to support you, but they can’t if they don’t know what’s going on. Transparency builds loyalty. Vulnerability builds trust. And trust has direct financial impacts. World Bank economists showed a 10% increase in trust correlated with a 0.8% bump in income growth. (Harvard)
6. Don’t wait for things to feel “stable.”
Spoiler alert: they probably won’t. But staying quiet until things feel perfect means missing your shot to build a connection now.
What We Know for Sure
Tariff shocks hit hard and ripple for years.
Big businesses might retreat—but small ones can gain ground.
Visibility = survival.
Marketing is your anchor, not your extra.
You can’t control the economy, but you can control your story.
You’ve Done Hard Things Before — You’ve Got This
Small business owners are no strangers to chaos. If you made it through 2020, you know how to adapt. You know how to dig deep. And yes — you know how to sell, even in a storm.
So if you’re wondering whether now’s the time to hit pause?
Pause that thought.
This is your moment to double down—on content, on connection, on clarity.
Tariff crisis or not, now is not the time to disappear. Now is the time to get strategic, stay visible, and make sure your brand is still standing when the dust settles.
And if you need a partner to help you stay loud, clear, and consistent?
You know where to find us.
