Serve First, Sell Later Marketing

#69 Never Go Dark: The Strategy That Outlasts Crisis and Uncertainty

• Sylvia Garibaldi • Season 1 • Episode 69

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In episode 69 of the Serve First, Sell Later Marketing podcast, host Sylvia Garibaldi emphasizes the importance of maintaining visibility in uncertain times. She discusses how and why consistent marketing strategies are crucial for professionals in high-trust industries like law, mediation, and divorce. Sylvia explains that in times of volatility, clients become more selective and are more likely to trust those who remain consistently active and visible. She outlines four core marketing strategies— that you can never pause, especially in times of chaos and crisis.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • 00:46 The Importance of Resilience in Uncertain Times
  • 02:24 The Risks of Going Silent
  • 05:55 Core Marketing Strategies to Maintain Visibility
  • 11:12 The Three Cs of Visibility
  • 15:33 Mindset Shift: Embracing Uncertainty

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00:06 - Sylvia (Host)
Hello everyone and welcome back to Episode 69 of the Serve First, sell Later Marketing Podcast. I'm your host, sylvia Garibaldi, and today I have an important question for you. If the next six months brought more volatility, more unpredictability, would your practice rise or would it quietly disappear? Because here's what most professionals don't realize until it's too late Invisibility isn't neutral. It's very risky, and in trust-driven industries like law, mediation and divorce, the professionals who win aren't always the loudest. They're the ones who stay consistently present even when the world feels unstable. So today's episode is about something deeper than strategy. It's about resilience, because the truth is, uncertainty isn't the exception, it's the norm. Pandemics, market crashes, new legislation, change in government, disruption isn't an interruption. It's a constant in our environment, and while you can't control that chaos, you can control how you show up through it. So this episode is very timely, because here's what I believe and what today's episode will actually help you act on, because it's not the crisis that defines your practice. It's how you respond to it. And here's what the data says. Harvard Business Review found that companies that increased their marketing spend during a recession experienced better financial performance the following year and, according to Forbes, businesses that maintained their marketing budgets during downturns saw a three and a half times increase in brand visibility compared to those that pulled back. That's not just for big consumer brands. It applies to service providers, just like you, because in moments of uncertainty, clients don't disappear, they just become more selective, and I think that's a very important point to let set in, and the professionals they choose are the ones that they consistently see, hear and trust. So in today's episode, I'm going to break down the essential marketing strategies that every professional should continue, no matter what's happening in the world, because right now, we know that there's lots of change and disruption going on. So let's dive in. Lots of change and disruption going on, so let's dive in. 

02:27
So let's talk about what happens when you go quiet, because here's the part that no one tells you when you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure. Silence is not neutral. It's a signal you are giving a signal and in business, especially in high trust fields like law, mediation and divorce, it's a pretty dangerous one to give. When you stop showing up online, when you pause your content, when you pause your marketing, when your audience doesn't hear from you for weeks or months, something important happens, and that is momentum dies. So the algorithm stops favoring your content, referral partners forget to tag you, potential clients stop seeing your name and others aren't approaching you to be a speaker or to provide your viewpoint on matters. But, more importantly, silence gets interrupted as instability. And in a field like yours, where clients are going through emotional, legal or financial upheaval, they're not just looking for credentials, they're looking for calm, they're looking for confidence, for leadership. 

03:33
So if your visibility drops in uncertain times, it doesn't look like strategy, it looks like you're struggling and that perception is very hard to recover from. So, if you remember, during the pandemic, influencers, consultants, even firms who were posting daily just disappeared and many of them never came back. But then there were others, companies like Airbnb, mailchimp. They kept showing up, they adapted, they acknowledged the moment, but they stayed in the conversation, they stayed present and, as a result, they they stayed in the conversation, they stayed present and, as a result, they came out stronger for it. So here's the thing Even if you feel unsure of what to say, say something, because showing up imperfectly is better than not showing up at all. 

04:18
Inconsistent visibility breeds doubt, but consistent visibility that builds reliability breeds doubt, but consistent visibility that builds reliability and reliability builds trust. So if you're in the mindset of oh, I'll wait till things calm down to start being more active again with my marketing. I'm here to tell you please, don't wait, because your silence is speaking louder than you think and it could be costing you more than you think. So, when chaos hits, people look for leaders and you can be that steady presence, because you can't predict the next crisis, but you can build a reputation as someone who shows up no matter what. So let's shift gears a little bit and get practical, because when a crisis hits whether it's global, economic or even personal it's tempting to pause your marketing and focus on the day-to-day operations of your practice. 

05:13
But here's what I want to stress the actions you take during uncertain times are exactly what shape the perception of your practice long-term. A lot of people don't get that. They think, okay, I'll just sit back and wait a little bit, but the reality is that your competitor is going to be stepping in, so marketing needs to be a constant in your practice. Whether you, you know more selective with what you do, with the type of marketing budget you have, that's okay too, but you need to continue to be out there, and those that we have worked with during the pandemic, have really acquired so many more clients by simply doing that, by being present and continuing to invest in their marketing. So there are four core marketing strategies that you should never stop, especially during the unpredictability that we're facing right now globally. These four that I'm going to be talking about are even more important when things get unpredictable. Okay, so let's walk through each one. 

06:12
So the very first one is organic content marketing. This is your bread and butter. It's how you stay relevant right and, in professional services, it's how you position yourself as the trusted voice in a sea of noise. So here's your content rotation. This is what it could look like you teach something, you demystify a concept, you walk through a mediation strategy, you explain timelines, you share your perspective, you comment on a trending issue, a recent court ruling or even a client question. You show proof, testimonials, before and after stories, client wins or day-in-the-life posts that humanize your process. If you ghost your audience, don't be surprised when they forget you, but if you stay consistent, even with just one post a week, you stay top of mind and that's going to be super important and that's where future referrals and retained clients come from. So it's really, really important to continue that content marketing. 

07:13
The second one is your email list. So let me say this one clearly your email list is your most valuable digital asset. No algorithm, no platform volatility, just direct communication with people who already said they want to hear from you, and during a crisis, that inbox it actually becomes a safe zone. So even if you send just one thoughtful email a week maybe a story, a lesson, a useful article or checklist you're showing up in a way that builds trust and positions you as a stable and proactive partner. You're not selling, you're supporting and that builds loyalty. So if you don't have a list yet, it's not too late. Start now, right, I talk a lot about having a lead magnet in place, and that's going to be an important one to consider. If you don't have, that is to actually get some kind of checklist or maybe a workshop or webinar, something that people want to have access to, and in exchange for that, they give you their email address. And if you do have an email list, nurture it consistently. Your future clients are already on it, so please communicate with them, give them things of value. 

08:27
Okay, the third one, and this one is so underrated and it costs nothing but time and intention. So, whether it's replying to comments on your social media, answering DMs, maybe on Instagram, or engaging in Facebook groups or industry threads, you're staying active in your digital community and when you do that, that is a form of leadership. So think about it. When everyone's scared or confused, the ones who talk are the ones who get trusted. So respond, react, contribute. Even small engagement creates huge trust signals. So set a 15-minute window every day just for engagement. It's part of your visibility routine and it's so important to do the fourth one Now. 

09:16
I know this. One can feel a little uncomfortable, especially in a profession where privacy and discretion are key. But authenticity doesn't mean oversharing. It means being visible, human and relatable, and I'm talking about your brand visibility here. So let people see you adapting right. Share how you're continuing to support clients, give insight into what's changing in your workflow and what's staying strong, because that's what people want in a crisis. They want calm, they want capable humans, and you need to demonstrate that through your digital footprint, especially during the times of unpredictability. Your digital footprint, especially during the times of unpredictability. So they don't want faceless firms. Right, when they see you, they feel reassured. So go live, record a quick selfie video, post a photo with a caption that's real. It doesn't have to be polished, it just has to be present. 

10:13
During uncertainty, people want to buy from people they feel emotionally connected to, and you can't automate trust, so you build it face first, and I want to be crystal clear here you don't need to do all four of these things every day, but if you do at least one of them consistently during times of uncertainty, you stay relevant, you stay reliable and you stay the go-to in your space, because the goal isn't to be everywhere. The goal is to never disappear, and I think that that's super important. And when you dial back your marketing, you are disappearing, and I think that can be very risky to do, especially in climates of unpredictability. By the way, if you're finding this episode valuable, I've covered related topics in past episodes that can help deepen your understanding, so be sure to check out these episodes and I'll drop the links in the show notes so you can find them easily. Okay, now that we've covered the core marketing strategies that you should never hit pause on, I want to introduce you to a simple framework that ties it all together, and that's what I call the three C's of visibility, clarity, consistency and confidence. So this framework is especially important for professionals like you, because your clients aren't just buying a service. They're investing in certainty, in guidance, so they're really investing in someone who knows what they're doing and they show up like they mean it. 

11:46
So let's break each one down. So the first one is clarity. If people don't understand what you do, who you help or why you're different, they won't remember you. In fact, that's why a lot of clients seek us out is so that we can help them figure all of this out for them, so that they can get out the door and start marketing immediately. But this is an important step that a lot of professionals have not ironed out properly. And here's the deal If they don't remember you, they can't refer you. So let's get sharp here. Your visibility needs to be anchored in a clear message what problem do you solve, who do you solve it for and how do you do it differently or better? So if you're a divorce mediator focused on high conflict co-parenting cases, your content should reflect that clarity. So every LinkedIn post, every email, every video, it should just reinforce that one-liner that people can repeat about you, because repetition builds recall and recall builds referrals. 

12:51
The second C is consistency, and it's really all about rhythm. If you post once in a while, you email once a month when you have time, or you create your next podcast episode or your YouTube video or show up when things are slow, you're not building trust, you're just reacting. And consistency is what builds reliability in the eyes of your audience. And remember, you don't have to be doing this every single day, but you do need to be visible regularly, consistently, each week, whatever cadence you can commit to, please stick with it. Even one great post a week, one high value email, a quick video, because your audience doesn't just need to know you exist, they need to see that you're active, you're intentional and present. So you can't engage in this activity once a month and then come back to it maybe six weeks later. So there's no consistency there and people are looking for consistency. That is key and really, in uncertain times, consistency is exactly that. It is leadership. Leadership is what they're looking for. 

13:58
So the third C is confidence. And finally, that's really all about energy. Right, the energy behind your marketing matters just as much as the messaging and positioning itself. When you show up with clarity, when you show up with consistency, that's what they're looking for. But if you're hesitant and you're overly apologetic, you're unsure in your tone. People can feel that. So when you speak with confidence not arrogance, just certainty it sends a very different message. The message says hey, I've done this before, I can help you and you're in good hands. And that's exactly what clients need in high stakes, emotional situations like divorce, mediation or other legal conflict. So ask yourself is your content calm and clear? Is your tone reassuring and knowledgeable? Are you giving off the energy of someone who can be trusted in the middle of chaos? Because people just don't hire experts, they hire confidence. So when you put all three of these together clarity, consistency and confidence you become magnetic, especially in uncertain times. 

15:13
And this framework that I've just given you isn't just about being everywhere, doing everything or having a perfect brand. It's about being strategic. It's about being stable and trusted, which is exactly what clients are looking for when the world feels unsteady. So let's zoom out for a second, because everything we've talked about so far no-transcript for a crisis. Once it arrives, you prepare for it as a default. See the difference, because whether it's a recession, whether it's a regulatory change, a family emergency or a tech breakdown, something in life and in business will always be shifting. That is guaranteed, and the professionals who rise through it aren't the ones with the fanciest credentials. They're the ones who stay mentally prepared and they stay visibly present. 

16:35
Your marketing, your content, your communication strategy. It's not just about growth, it's about resilience, and visibility is your insurance policy. It's how your audience, your clients, your peers, your referral partners they see that you're still here, that you're still active, that you are reliable. So think of your online presence as your digital storefront. Even if your calendar's full, even if courts are backed up, even if there's chaos around you, the open sign has to stay lit, and it stays lit when your marketing is always on. And if you internalize this mindset that visibility is a discipline, not just a promotion tool, and you'll never be caught off guard again because your reputation will carry you through the chaos. So don't wait for the next shakeup to start showing up. Build now, show up now, lead now, because uncertainty is always around us and it's not going to be going away, but your ability to rise above it, that's 100% in your control. So here's what I want to leave you with. 

17:49
As professionals, you work in a space where trust isn't just important, it's really everything, and clients don't come to you casually. They come to you in crisis, in uncertainty, in moments when they need stability, clarity and strength, and that's why visibility is not optional, it's essential. So we've talked about it today. Uncertainty isn't going anywhere. It's here. It's not an outlier. It's the backdrop of the world we live in today Political shifts, economic downturns, global health crises disruption will always be part of the mix, and I think what matters most is not whether the storm comes, because we know it will, but what matters most is how you respond, and your response can either be to go quiet or to lead with your marketing. 

18:42
It's not the crisis that defines your practice. It's how consistently, how clearly and how confidently you and your company show up through all of this, and we know this for a fact. The data backs it up Harvard Business Review, forbes. They've both shown that visibility during disruption leads to growth right after, because clients don't disappear. They just become more selective, and the professionals they trust are the ones they see, hear and feel connected to, especially when things are uncertain, and feel connected to especially when things are uncertain. So here's your playbook Keep creating content that teaches, reassures and positions you as a thought leader. 

19:27
Keep emailing your list Even one story a week builds trust over time. Keep engaging with your community. Be visible, be helpful, be human, show your face. Your clients don't just need a logo, they need you. And then you want to wrap it in the three C's Clarity in your message, consistency in your presence, confidence in your tone. 

19:49
And, finally, you need to embrace the mindset that visibility is your insurance policy, because, as the next wave hits because it always will I don't want you to be scrambling. I want you to already feel established. I want you to know that there's trust, that you've already established with your community and that you are leading. So don't wait for the calm to start showing up. Build now, show up now, lead now. Your clients, your practice and your future depend on it. So if today's episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear what you're committing to Send me a DM, share this episode or just post one takeaway on LinkedIn and tag me. I'd love to hear what you learned from this episode, because when we model visibility, we actually inspire others to do the same. So, until next time, stay visible, stay valuable and, most importantly, always stay ready. And if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so that you don't miss future episodes packed with actionable strategies to grow your practice. See you in the next episode.