Hey there, Kiers Nation! Today’s blog post brought to you by a recent interaction we had while conducting standard sales outreach campaigns and were told this: “We don’t do any marketing; we have all the patients we need.”
Let’s talk about that and a similar question we hear all the time: “Why should I spend money on marketing when my business is doing great?”
It’s tempting to think, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?” But here’s the thing: the best time to market isn’t when you’re struggling—it’s when you’re thriving. Why? Because in our fast-paced, digital-first world, attention is fleeting, competition is fierce, and what’s working today might not work tomorrow.
Let’s dive into why this matters more than ever for small businesses in Atlantic Canada, where local markets, seasonal trends, and digital noise create unique challenges—and opportunities.
The Evolving Customer Journey in the Digital Age
Gone are the days when people walked into your shop, bought something, and became lifelong customers. Today’s customer journey is a maze of touchpoints: they might hear about you from a friend, Google your business, scroll through your Instagram, compare reviews, and check your Facebook page—all before even deciding to visit.
And guess what? They’re doing the exact same thing with your competitors at the same time, trying to best decide who to buy from.
In Atlantic Canada, where our communities are tight-knit but digital platforms dominate attention, staying visible at every step of this journey is critical. If you want to know just how critical, head over to The Kiers Blog and read Small Business, Small Town, Small Market Size.
For example, a bakery in Charlottetown might get loyal locals through word-of-mouth, but tourists visiting PEI will rely on Instagram photos and Google reviews to decide where to grab a bite.
Why This Matters
- Fleeting Attention: A recent Microsoft study found that the average human attention span is just eight seconds. If your business isn’t consistently showing up in their feeds, you’ll be forgotten in no time.
- Longer Consideration Periods: Consumers now take their time browsing and comparing before making decisions. A lack of consistent marketing leaves room for competitors to swoop in and steal their attention. Often, they’ll even be IN YOUR SHOP but browsing for the same thing at a cheaper price online. You have to give them a reason to buy from you, even if it costs a bit more. This is even harder when the economy is on a downturn.
Why Consistent Marketing Is Essential
1. Attention Is Fleeting, and Digital Is Everywhere
Let’s face it: people are bombarded with content 24/7. Between TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube videos (and Shorts), X or Bluesky, Discord etc. and then ads on every platform, your business is competing with a lot more than your local competitors—you’re up against a global attention economy. If you’re not consistently engaging your audience, you risk losing them altogether. Just read our article about the Fractured Internet to see where things are headed. If you don’t adjust or focus now, it will get impossible to do so in the increasingly fast-paced world of machine learning.
Here’s a simple formula to show how this works:
Cost of Reacquiring Attention = (Number of Customers Lost × Cost per Lead) + Ad Spend to Retarget Them
For example:
- You have 500 followers on Instagram.
- 10% of followers forget about you each month as a result of inconsistent posting (50 people).
- Cost per lead for retargeting: $10.
- Monthly ad spend needed to retarget: $100.
Cost of Reacquiring Attention: (50 × 10) + 100 = $600
Without regular marketing, you’re effectively paying $600 per month just to get back on their radar. Consistent, organic marketing—like social media posts, email campaigns, and blogs—reduces these costs by keeping your audience engaged and aware.
2. Future-Proofing Your Business
Let’s say you’re a contractor in Moncton with a packed schedule. That’s great—for now. But if you’re not marketing, where will your next projects come from? Marketing is like planting seeds: you do it now so you’re not scrambling to fill gaps later.
3. Replacing Customer Attrition
Every business loses customers over time. Maybe a café in Halifax loses regulars when they move away, or a mechanic in Saint John faces churn as customers trade in old cars. On average, businesses lose 10-25% of their customers each year. For small markets like ours, that loss hits harder.
Let’s look at the math:
- Current customers: 100
- Retention rate: 65% (realistic for Atlantic Canadian businesses)
- Growth goal: 10%
New Customers Needed = (100 × (1−0.65)) + (100 × 0.1) = 25 + 10 = 45
If you’re running a high-ticket service, those 45 new customers might require regional outreach. For a café or boutique, it might mean hosting events or using Instagram to attract newcomers.
4. Staying Ahead of Competitors
Atlantic Canada is full of small towns with tight-knit communities—and fierce competition. Let’s say you own a seafood restaurant in Halifax. If you stop marketing, but your competitor starts posting fresh lobster specials on Instagram every day, guess where people will go? Staying visible keeps you in the game.
5. Adapting to Market Trends
Customer expectations change quickly. A clothing store in Fredericton might find that shoppers from bigger cities now expect online ordering options and apply for a digital grant to help them hire an agency to build their online shop, while a seasonal tour operator in PEI could build excitement for their opening with pre-booking campaigns. Marketing ensures you stay relevant, no matter how the winds shift.
The Cost of Neglecting Marketing
Waiting to market your business until you’re struggling is like waiting to buy an umbrella when it’s already raining. When you stop marketing, your business becomes invisible. And regaining visibility—especially in the crowded digital space—costs more time and money than maintaining it consistently.
For instance, if a local clothing store in St. John’s cuts its marketing budget, they might save a few dollars initially. But a year later, sales drop, competitors take over, and they have to spend double to re-engage their audience. Avoiding this trap is as simple as staying consistent now.
How to Get Started with Marketing Today
Not sure where to begin? Start with these simple steps:
- Post Consistently on Social Media: Whether you’re showing behind-the-scenes clips or promoting daily specials, staying active keeps your business top-of-mind.
- Leverage Local SEO: Optimize your website to rank for searches like “best café in Halifax” or “affordable landscaping in Moncton.”
- Engage with Customers Post-Purchase: Follow up with thank-you emails, loyalty offers, or requests for reviews. Happy customers bring referrals.
- Track Results: Use free tools like Google Analytics to measure what’s working and refine your strategy.
We’ve Seen It All in 40 Years
At our agency, we’ve been helping New Brunswick businesses from our base in Fredericton for 40 years. We’ve seen trends come and go, the rise of digital marketing, and how quickly things can change. What hasn’t changed is this: the businesses that invest in marketing during the good times are the ones that survive—and thrive—when times get tough.
Don’t wait until sales start to decline to make a move. The digital world isn’t slowing down, and neither is your competition. Let’s work together to keep your business growing—and visible. Contact us today, and let’s make sure your success lasts for years to come.