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I’ve been reflecting on a thought that feels especially relevant now: Content and marketing are at a tipping point.
Lately, I’ve found myself sharing with my clients how the last several years have been shaped by our collective attempt to live up to Mark Zuckerberg’s infamous mantra: “Move fast and break things.”
So, it should come as no surprise that marketers spend too much time and energy trying to fix broken things.
A season for uncertainty
When I was a child, the holiday season always brought a mix of excitement and suspense. My parents used to say if I didn’t maintain my status on the nice list, Santa would leave rocks in my stocking. (I realize the standard is coal, but I grew up in the burbs.)
This proclamation — usually delivered a few weeks before Christmas — would stress me out. Did I do something bad? What’s considered bad? Would I get a rock?
The uncertainty freaked me out.
Many marketers approach this time of year similarly unnerved. They note how many big projects remain unfinished or in limbo. Decisions are pending, and many initiatives will not kick off until January.
It’s easy to let this uncertainty create a gnawing feeling that we should be doing more, pushing harder to tie up loose ends so that we don’t waste time when the new year arrives.
But what if you viewed this period differently? Instead of seeing the end of the year as a source of stress, what if you embraced it as a natural pause — a valuable opportunity for strategic recalibration? A pause for a new beginning.
Focus on strategy, not stress
A senior marketing director at a large software company told me her boss asked her to develop a new content-marketing-based approach to generate more engaged leads.
Over the summer and early fall months, she presented ideas to various stakeholders, hoping to gain approval and move on to implementation. She’d been asked to move as quickly as possible.
Yet, each meeting ended without a definitive yes or no.
The vice president of brand marketing found the proposal “interesting” but felt the organization wasn’t ready for content marketing.
The product marketing team appreciated her enthusiasm but didn’t see the need to adjust the “amazing” content that already engages their leads.
The demand generation team wanted to wait for a software upgrade due early in the new year before considering any significant changes to their thought leadership approach.
This lack of clear commitment left the director feeling frustrated and stuck. Her confidence waned, and her presentations suffered. She craved decisive answers to support quick progress but found herself surrounded by ambiguity.
Worse, each not-quite-yes answer added more tasks to the things she needed to fix before starting anything new.
Then came a breakthrough. Instead of letting the uncertainty weigh her down, she decided to leverage the pause strategically. She recognized that this in-between time was an opportunity, not an obstacle.
She took a step back and listed all the objections, uncertainties, and incremental suggestions. She noted the concerns stakeholders had and the questions that remained unanswered. With this information, she began to map out how she could turn these challenges into opportunities for collaboration and growth.
By reframing her approach, she transformed her presentations.
Instead of pushing for immediate approval, she addressed each stakeholder’s concerns. She showed how her vision aligned with the stakeholders’ goals and how slowing down and inventing new things (rather than fixing old things) could solve their problems.
This strategic recalibration paid off.
Her pitches became more engaging and personalized. Stakeholders began to see the value in her proposals, and she secured firm commitments from nearly all of them.
Turn limbo into a launchpad
My client’s experience highlights a valuable lesson you can put into practice any time of year. But particularly in this period of uncertainty at year’s end, you can create a new fertile ground for strategic thinking and planning.
Here are some suggestions for how to make the most of this seasonal pause:
1. Embrace unfinished business
Acknowledge that not everything needs to be resolved right now. Use this time to reflect on the year’s accomplishments and identify areas for growth. Accept that some projects are on pause (and maybe shouldn’t ever be unpaused) and focus on what you can control.
2. Find peace in the uncomfortable
My yoga instructor challenges me to “find the peace in the uncomfortable.” (When I’m standing in that Warrior Two pose, it’s hard to find peace.)
Apply that principle to your marketing plans:
- Spend 60 minutes listing the uncertainties and pending decisions weighing on your mind.
- Categorize them into things you can influence and things you can’t.
- Brainstorm creative strategies to address the items within your control. Note: This isn’t the time for generative AI to outline or summarize the project plan as fast as possible. The real value isn’t in the output. It’s in the “uncomfortableness” (or valuable friction) of exercising our brains to come up with opportunities and just sit with the challenge.
- Consider how you might adapt or prepare for various outcomes for those uncertainties outside your control.
3. Reframe uncertainty as potential
Instead of viewing unanswered questions as roadblocks, see them as opportunities to innovate and improve. The lack of a definitive answer means there’s room to shape the future. Ask yourself how you can turn “not yet” into “here’s how.”
4. Invest in relationships
Use this downtime to strengthen connections with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. Engage in meaningful conversations that aren’t solely task-oriented or even about the things that need fixing. Building these relationships now can lead to smoother collaborations in the future.
5. Focus on the present
Research from the University of London found that uncertainty can cause more stress than knowing that something negative is certain. To combat this, anchor yourself in the present. Engage with family and friends and participate in activities you enjoy this holiday season. If you work on some of the suggestions above, you’ll feel better about taking time away from work during the holiday season.
Balance reflection and preparation
At the end of the year, many people straddle the line between reflection and anticipation. It’s natural to feel unsettled as you wrap up the old and gear up for the new.
However, treating this period as a strategic pause can alleviate stress and set you up for success. Use this time to recharge, reflect, and realign your goals. When the new year arrives, you’ll be prepared to hit the ground running with renewed energy and a clear plan.
My hope for 2025 is that content and marketing pros can shift our collective mindset away from “moving fast and breaking things” and toward “moving smarter and inventing things.”
Many challenges marketers face today stem from past decisions made in haste. But this tipping point is also an opportunity to approach marketing with greater intention, creativity, and care.
Learn from what’s broken. Focus on crafting strategies that endure. Then, you can move forward stronger and more resilient.
I wish you a happy holiday season.
Remember, it’s your story. Tell it well.
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Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute