What's happening in Marketing

If you're looking at the last two years (2024–2026) from the perspective of selling products and services, the market has changed quite significantly.

The biggest changes

1. Buyers have become more cautious
Growth has remained positive globally, but uncertainty around inflation, interest rates, tariffs and geopolitics has made businesses more selective about spending. The IMF describes the global outlook as resilient but subject to persistent uncertainty.

2. AI has fundamentally changed the sales environment
Two years ago, AI was largely an emerging productivity tool. It is now being built into marketing, sales, customer service, accounting and administration. In Australia, SME AI adoption reached 43% in late 2025/early 2026, with deeper integration increasing.

3. The cost of doing business remains important
Australian businesses continue to face wage and margin pressure. NAB's Q1 2026 survey showed confidence at -4, while conditions remained positive at +7.

4. Technology has dramatically increased competition
A small sales team can now access prospect databases, AI research, automated outreach, content generation and sales intelligence that previously required significant resources.

5. Customers expect more for their money
The conversation has shifted from “Is this a good product?” to “What will it actually do for my business?” ROI, productivity, revenue growth and cost reduction have become much more important.