The Next 12 Months Will Kill Average Businesses
You might be doing “okay”. But in the next 12 months, “okay” may not be enough. More than half of South Africa’s small and medium-sized businesses say they might not survive the next year under current conditions.
If you’re operating on autopilot, relying on last year’s tactics, you’re staring down a fall.
Why “average” just isn’t good enough
Operating in neutral means you’re slowly sliding backwards. The data says 55.3 % of SMEs believe they may not make it beyond 12 months under current pressures.
Your clients’ costs are going up. Your staff expect more. Attention spans are shrinking. If you’re doing “what we always did” you’re playing yesterday’s game.
What’s changing in the next year
Customer behaviour and attention are shifting
Digital noise is rising. Social algorithm changes. Paid reach shrinking. If your marketing is built on “boost a post, hope for the best”, you’re in trouble.
Economic and cost pressures
Late payments. Rising utilities. Margins under fire. This survey says a big chunk of businesses are contracting or in distress.
Tactics that worked will stop working
Running every platform “just in case”. Posting aimlessly. No clear outcome. These used to be acceptable. Not anymore.
How to spot if you’re in trouble
Lead quality is dropping. You’re getting enquiries that go nowhere.
Your marketing cost is up, return is down.
You keep saying “we’ll wait and see” instead of acting now.
You’re still doing what worked five years ago and expecting the same result.
What you should do instead
Choose focus over spread
Pick the 1-2 platforms where your audience actually lives. Do them well. Don’t try to be everywhere.
Define your brand voice and stick to it
Your tone, your values, your story count. If you keep shifting because someone told you “go viral”, you’ll dilute your impact.
Fix the fundamentals
Set clear, simple metrics: enquiries, conversions, client value.
Track what matters, drop what doesn’t.
Know what you stop doing as much as what you start.
Build a repeatable system
Marketing must feel like a process, not a random thing. Weekly check-in, monthly review, quarterly pivot.
Be ready to pivot fast
If a channel isn’t working by month 4, move on. Don’t keep “testing” forever.
Lean into your advantage: local, real, human
You don’t have the budget of a global. So your authenticity matters more. Use your story. Use your local insight.
Manage your cash flow like your life depends on it
Because it does. Marketing without money is wishful thinking. Prioritise client retention, referrals, and sustainable growth.
Are you ready?
Being average in a shifting market isn’t a neutral position. It’s a losing one. The next 12 months will expose cracks. The smart business will act now, focus hard, and rebuild where it counts.
Want tailored advice that doesn’t beat around the bush?
Hit me up:
📧 sez@sezdg.com
📲 WhatsApp: +27 67 601 0605
🌐 www.sezdg.com