By Paul Evans, Founder and Chief Positioning Engineer, V2RSION
The latest IPA Bellwether Report captures a market in speed mode. UK marketing budgets rebounded overall, with a net balance of +5.5% reporting increases, while the most tactical categories – sales promotions (+9.4%) and direct marketing (+9.1%) – saw the strongest gains; big‑ticket main‑media budgets, by contrast, flat‑lined at 0.0%. (ipa.co.uk)
Agility is a threat and opportunity
Spending on promotions and direct‑response channels delivers immediate revenue for media, technology and creative (marketing services) businesses. Winning this work supports the current P&L.
But chasing every tactical brief can pull a company away from the positioning that makes it competitive – differentiation disappears and this presents a real risk in positioning commoditisation and confusion.
The goal for any business should be to capture today’s demand while projecting and protecting a go‑to‑market narrative that is both clear and consistent.
Agile GTM execution, anchored strategy
Long‑term advantage still depends on an authentic market position that should be updated systematically. Treat it as a concise set of rules – problem solved, audience served, proof provided – reviewed on a regular cadence or when signals of change appear.
This framework gives GTM and growth (sales and marketing) teams the confidence to adjust the way they show up in different channels, formats or offers, while ensuing every execution reinforces the same determined value-based positioning narrative.
Three moves for marketing‑services providers
1 . Tie outreach to the client’s commercial goals
PR angles, event themes and pitch decks should be more specifically tied to the goals and outcomes that clients are under pressure to move – whether that is reach, conversions or subscriber growth. Establishing relevance up‑front wins attention faster.
2 . Turn thought leadership into modular deal fuel
Publish a point‑of‑view article, slice the same argument into keynote slides, media commentary and pitch inserts, then update quarterly. Re‑use keeps cost down and ensures every conversation strengthens the same narrative instead of spawning disconnected ideas.
3 . Measure outcomes, not exposure
Count meetings booked, RFP invitations and pipeline value sourced from each webinar, report or press hit. Pair these with a running indicator of brand preference, such as share‑of‑search, share-of-model (LLM’s) or pitching shortlists, so you know if short‑term wins are compounding long‑term equity.
The payoff
Budget shifts will continue as a result of economic and technological changes. The agencies, consultants and tech firms that combine rapid execution with a disciplined strategic framework will capture near‑term spend and secure long‑term client advisory roles. Providers who link flexible tactics to a clear, evolving purpose will remain the trusted choice for brands navigating volatility.
