We’re Now In The Energy Economy: Why Marketing Feels Harder Than Ever

Consumers are tired. Marketers are struggling. What's happening?

How hard is it to make an introvert leave the house?

Well, first you have to appeal to their comfort, highlight what’s in it for them, all while making them feel that it’s okay to say no without guilt. And oh, you have to make it low-commitment and remove decision fatigue from every ask you make.

Otherwise, you’re just depleting what’s left of their energy (which, let’s be real, has already probably been drained the moment you asked).

Well… newsflash:

THIS is exactly what it feels like trying to sell to the tired market right now.

It’s like everyone’s digitally numb — chronically fatigued, running on an energy deficit, and avoiding most online interactions.

Think about it.

You practically have to drag people to your (or your clients’) webinar. Beg them to open your cold emails. Or maybe even bribe them a little just to heart your post.

I’ve felt the shift myself.

A year ago, I could write one heartfelt post about Inside Out 2 and it would go viral. Drop a casual “Hey, we’re running a FREE webinar!” post in my FB group and 50+ people would comment in under 2 minutes. Launch a course and make 6 figs, no sweat.

But lately?

You have to work twice as hard to get just half the engagement.

An OG marketer has the answer—and a name—to what’s going on.

We’re exiting the Attention Economy

As Alen Sultanic put it:

We’re no longer in the attention economy. We’re in the energy economy.

Everyone is getting attention, but customers are running out of energy to pay attention, watch, consume, and make decisions.

More energy gold on his post here.

And he’s right.

We’re officially in the Energy Economy.

And I could not have been any happier now that it’s mainstream-marketing official.

As a natural introvert, I’ve been quietly living in the Energy Economy before it even had a name.

It surprises me a little that this idea is only making its debut now. I used to feel like the odd one out before (along with a few other introverted digital marketers).

I’ve always been repelled by huge event meetups, hype-y marketing, “BIG promise” campaigns, full-day in-person workshops, and jampacked, expensive courses that I could hardly digest—let alone use.

(I was into them once.

When I started treating my freelancing as a business, I spent 6-figs on a copywriting and business-building course.

Never made it halfway. Never interacted with the community. I just didn’t have the energy back then. Sure, I picked up a few nuggets — but it drained me more financially and time-wise more than it grew me.)

Working in B2B SaaS taught me to respect the Energy Economy long before Alen named it.

I’ve figured out how to win without hustling by applying these SaaS concepts:

Case in point #1 - Product-Led Growth (PLG)

Let the product do the marketing and selling.

PLG is a business strategy where the product itself is the primary driver of customer acquisition, retention, and expansion.

So, instead of relying heavily on people to push the product, PLG focuses on enabling users to experience the value of the product directly through UI/UX and pricing models like offering a free trial.

Who thought of PLG? This guy named Blake Bartlett. And who got obsessed with it? Well, SaaS founders, marketers, and devs — all naturally introverted.

So did this PLG thing work?

Absolutely! It’s far more efficient for everybody’s energy and the company’s funds too.

Ask yourself: How would you polish and state your [offer] so it speaks for itself?

Case in point #2 - Self-serve Onboarding

Let the product teach users how to use it.

(This is what I do professionally. 😉 Here’s my LinkedIn if you need help on this.)

Self-serve onboarding removes the need for constant human handholding by guiding users through setup and success on their own — using clear UI/UX, built-in tutorials, in-app check-ins, and smart email flows that help them win faster.

Who embraced it? SaaS teams who realized their customers don’t want endless calls or manuals — they just want to get started and feel confident, quickly.

Does it work? Absolutely! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have clients. lol.

It saves energy for both your team and your customers, while improving retention and satisfaction.

Ask yourself: What content, systems should I build so customers/clients/team members can start working with me easily?

Case in point #3 - Founders & Buyers Skipping Meetings

Protect your energy by protecting your calendar.

Some of the most effective founders intentionally skip meetings — not because they don’t care, but because they hire A+ players they can trust to get the work done without constant check-ins.

Who does this? High-caliber founders like Will who understand that time and energy are their most valuable assets — and that over-meeting kills both.

Buyers are the same. Today’s B2B buyers do their homework. By the time they book a call, they’re already about 70% sure they want to buy.

📊 According to Gartner, buyers spend just 17% of their purchase journey meeting with suppliers — and that time is split across multiple vendors. Most of their time is spent researching and deciding on their own.

Today’s founders and buyers value clarity, trust, and autonomy — and they expect you to respect the groundwork they’ve already done.

Ask yourself: Are you selling and leading in ways that respect how little time and energy people really have for you?

The Psychology of It All

So why is mainstream marketing catching up now?

Well, the world feels heavier lately…

With actual wars on the news, political polarization everywhere you look, a rising cost of living squeezing everyone’s wallet, endless layoffs shaking job security, and AI rewriting industries overnight.

Even extroverts and high-energy entrepreneurs are running low on energy these days.

Because the loud, aspirational campaigns that once worked now feel tone-deaf.
What used to inspire envy now just prompts eye-rolls.

People don’t want “bigger.”
They want simple.

They want clarity, lightness, and value that lightens their already heavy loads.

Those who make the buying experience feel delightfully light aren’t just nice-to-have anymore — they’re the ones cutting through.

And no, loud and entertaining still works…
…but probably only for the very few at the very top.

For the rest of us?

Welcome to the Energy Economy.

(Also this probably also explains why people are moving to farms, signing up for slow living, and eating up nostalgia marketing — but that’s another post.)

How To Sell in the Energy Economy

Convincing your introverted best friend to leave the house is mildly annoying and overly challenging at times…

But not impossible.

Same goes for marketing and making money in this era.

So if you’ve been feeling like marketing has never been harder — it’s because we’re no longer fighting for attention. We’re fighting for energy.

But, you don’t have to stop dreaming BIG.
You just have to learn how to make Tiny Asks…

Small, low-commitment moves that keep buyers moving forward without draining them.

It’s the foundation of my Substack Newsletter — and, honestly, my whole life philosophy.

It’s also the heart of my SaaS email framework, the TINY ASK Framework.

I’d love to share practical examples I’ve seen that have moved people forward without draining them.

But I ran out of energy writing this post lol.

In Part 2: Selling in the Energy Economy, I’ll break down how to apply these principles step-by-step. Make sure you subscribed so you don’t miss it!

For now, here’s your TL;DR:

Stop grabbing attention.
Start respecting their (and your) energy.

And watch what happens.