Crisis Marketing: Lessons in Leading Through Chaos

Table of Contents

Stop Chasing Virality: Build a Brand That Outlives the Algorithm

Let’s get one thing straight: if your marketing strategy is “go viral,” you might as well be playing darts blindfolded in a hurricane. Sure, you might hit the bullseye once, but odds are you’ll end up with a dart in your foot and a TikTok dance no one asked for.

Virality is not a strategy. It’s a side effect. A symptom. Like sneezing when you look at the sun. You can’t plan for it, and you sure as hell can’t build a business on it.

The Cult of Virality: A Modern Marketing Mirage

We’ve all seen it. The CEO who reads one article about a 19-year-old who made $2 million selling socks on Instagram and suddenly wants your B2B SaaS company to “do something fun on Reels.”

Here’s the truth bomb:

“Chasing virality is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle—while riding a unicycle—on a tightrope—over a pit of budget cuts.”

Instead of gambling on the algorithm gods, let’s talk about building something that actually lasts: a brand. A real one. The kind that makes people feel something, remember you, and—brace yourself—buy from you more than once.

Brand > Buzz: Why Longevity Beats Likes

Let’s look at two companies:

Company A: Gets 10 million views on a viral video. Sales spike for a week. Then… crickets.
Company B: Builds a consistent brand voice, delivers value, and earns trust. Sales grow steadily. Customers stick around. They tell their friends. Rinse, repeat, profit.

Guess which one’s still around in five years? Spoiler: it’s not the one doing the Harlem Shake in 2024.

How to Build a Brand That Doesn’t Need to Go Viral

1. Know Thyself (and Thy Audience)

If your brand were a person, who would it be? A wise professor? A sarcastic best friend? A no-nonsense coach who drinks black coffee and reads Sun Tzu for fun?

Define your brand voice and stick to it like your grandma sticks to her Facebook password (which is probably still “1234”).

Then, get intimate with your audience. Not in a weird way. In a “we know what keeps you up at night and how to fix it” kind of way.

2. Create Content That Compounds

Instead of chasing trends, create content that builds equity over time. Think:

Evergreen blog posts that answer real questions
Case studies that show how you solve problems
Email sequences that nurture leads like a digital greenhouse
Webinars that don’t suck (yes, it’s possible)

Content that compounds is like compound interest—boring at first, but eventually, it buys you a yacht.

3. Be Consistent, Not Constant

You don’t need to post 17 times a day. You need to show up consistently with value. Think of your brand like a good friend—not the one who texts you 47 memes before 9 AM, but the one who always shows up when it matters.

Consistency builds trust. And trust builds revenue. And revenue buys you the freedom to ignore the next TikTok trend entirely.

4. Measure What Matters

Vanity metrics are like empty calories. They look good, but they don’t nourish your business. Instead, track:

Customer lifetime value (CLV)
Conversion rates
Brand recall and sentiment
Organic traffic growth
Repeat purchase rate

If your dashboard looks like a popularity contest, you’re doing it wrong. This isn’t high school. It’s business.

Case Study: The Brand That Said “No Thanks” to Virality

Let’s talk about Basecamp. While every other SaaS company was chasing growth hacks and viral loops, Basecamp focused on clarity, simplicity, and a strong brand voice. They didn’t try to be everything to everyone. They didn’t jump on every trend. They just… delivered value. Consistently.

Result? A loyal customer base, sustainable growth, and a brand that people trust. No TikTok dances required.

Final Thought: Be the Brand, Not the Meme

Look, I get it. Virality is sexy. It’s the marketing equivalent of a Vegas weekend—fast, flashy, and full of regret.

But if you want to build something that lasts, something that actually moves the needle, you need to stop chasing the algorithm and start building a brand that people care about.

Because at the end of the day, likes don’t pay the bills. Loyalty does.

TL;DR (Too Long; Definitely Read)

Virality is not a strategy—it’s a side effect of great content and timing
Build a brand voice and stick to it like duct tape on a broken marketing funnel
Create content that compounds, not content that combusts
Measure what matters—vanity metrics are for egos, not P&Ls
Consistency > Constant noise

So next time someone says, “Let’s go viral,” smile politely and hand them this article. Then go back to building a brand that actually matters.

Want more no-BS marketing