Training and Marketing: The Wrong Cuts to Make When Business Slows Down

When business growth begins to soften, many owners look for quick ways to reduce costs. Almost every time, the first two items on the chopping block are training and marketing. On paper, these feel like the easiest expenses to remove. They don’t seem urgent. They don’t seem essential. And they don’t scream for attention the same way payroll, rent or inventory do.

But here’s the quiet truth many leaders don’t realise:

Cutting training and marketing is one of the fastest ways to weaken a business from the inside out.

Why Cutting Training Hurts More Than You Think

Training is not just about teaching skills. It’s about building people. And when you build people, you strengthen the business.

A trained team doesn’t just perform better, they solve problems faster, serve customers better and make smarter decisions. They reduce operational mistakes. They increase efficiency. They handle challenges with confidence.

When training stops, capability declines slowly, almost invisibly. You don’t see the damage immediately. But over time, you’ll notice:

• More repeated mistakes

• Lower customer satisfaction

• Slower productivity

• Higher turnover

• A work culture that feels stagnant

Leaders often miss this because the decline happens quietly. Productivity doesn’t collapse overnight. It erodes. And by the time it becomes visible, the gap is costly to repair.

Why Cutting Marketing Is A Dangerous Move

Marketing is your business’ voice in the marketplace. It keeps you visible, relevant and present in the minds of customers.

The moment marketing reduces, two things happen:

1. Your audience forgets you faster than you think

2. Your competitors fill the space you leave behind

In today’s digital world, silence is not neutral, it’s risky. A drop in visibility today becomes a drop in sales tomorrow. And the businesses that maintain their marketing presence during slow seasons often gain the biggest advantage.

While competitors are hiding, they’re building brand trust, strengthening their position and staying connected with their market.

Cutting the Right Things Instead

If cost-saving is necessary, there are smarter places to look - areas that reduce waste without damaging long-term capability.

Here are better alternatives:

1. Products or services that aren’t profitable - Review your offerings. Some items drain resources without contributing to growth.

2. Unused subscriptions or tools - Many businesses pay for software they barely use.

3. Unnecessary overtime or external freelance work - Often there are operational inefficiencies that can be tightened before adding extra labour.

4. Office expenses that don’t add real value - Comfort is nice, but excess is costly.

5. Non-essential perks - Perks are appreciated, but they don’t move the business forward like skills development and customer reach.

These cuts save money without lowering your competitive edge.

Investing in Training and Marketing Is Not a Cost - It’s a Strategy

Businesses that continue investing in their people and their visibility are the ones that bounce back faster and stronger.

I’ve seen companies freeze training and marketing during hard times and later face even bigger challenges - skills gaps, weak customer loyalty, inconsistent service quality and a team that feels lost.

But I’ve also seen the opposite.

The organisations that choose to hold their ground, who continue to build their people and stay visible in their market, come out of difficult seasons with clearer direction, stronger teams and a more confident brand presence.

Because training strengthens your core.

And marketing strengthens your voice.

When you cut both, you weaken the very pillars that keep your business alive.

The Bottom Line: Don’t Cut What Keeps You Strong

Training and marketing are not “nice to have.”

They are not optional. They are not expenses.

They are lifelines.

And when times get tough, the smartest leaders don’t cut their lifelines. They protect them.