Predictions for a soft building materials market in 2026 means some marketers will let up on the gas. That’s a big advantage for those brands with the fortitude to stay the course. When competitors pull back, the same investment captures even more influence per dollar, giving you the opportunity to bank future revenue at a lower cost of acquisition.
Just like the stock market, it’s not always about spending more, but thinking long-term and using dips as opportunities to allocate capital where it compounds into the future.
So, what can you do now that will position your brand to slingshot ahead when the market rebounds? Invest in smart strategies to become the obvious default choice while everyone else Is pulling back.
Do this now to leapfrog the competition
When competitors cut spend on innovation, delay product launches and go quiet in marketing, a confident brand can use the softness to lock in preference, specification and habit—so when demand returns to a more robust scale, growth over market is automatic. Here’s what that looks like in concrete terms.
Instead of focusing on selling more now, invest in becoming the most trusted, easiest brand to choose when projects restart.
What This Means in Practice
Audience needs and triggers are changing more rapidly than ever, transforming how customers develop loyalty to brands and products. While your competition works from old knowledge about the value chain, invest in more deeply understanding the ever-changing needs of audiences critical to your success.
Why it slingshots: The better you understand your customer, the more targeted you can be with the investments you make in product innovations, marketing and support.
While others reduce support, you:
Why it slingshots: Specs written during slow periods often drive volume 12–36 months later. You’re planting demand others won’t see until it’s too late.
In uncertain markets, customers crave calm, not hype.
Instead of turning transactional, you:
Why it slingshots: When the market rebounds, buyers reward the brands that never left them.
Invest in assets competitors won’t quickly replicate:
Why it slingshots: When work accelerates, switching costs matter more than price.
Rather than promoting products, you:
Why it slingshots: Category leaders are default winners in rebounds—they’re already trusted.
In soft markets:
When the market rebounds:
You don’t have to fight for growth—you inherit it because you demonstrated your commitment to the market, even in soft times. What makes this move “bold”?
It requires:
Most companies can’t do this. That’s exactly why it works.
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