At least, not the way most people do it.
You might think that sounds strange coming from a marketer. But stay with me and I’ll explain what I mean, why it's a common trap, and how to turn things around so your marketing finally starts doing what it’s supposed to do: grow your business.
Business owners often come to me frustrated. They’ve tried the common marketing channels; social media, Google Ads, email newsletters. They’ve often even worked with an agency or two. Yet, nothing seems to really work.
They’re not getting the leads, the sales, or the growth they expected.
The truth is, they’re not doing anything “wrong” in a traditional sense. They’re putting in time, effort, and money. They’ve got activity happening. But that activity is all executed in a spray and pray approach because they’re building tactics without a strategy.
Imagine you’re building a house. You’ve bought the timber, the nails, the roof tiles. You’ve even hired some builders. But you haven’t shown them a plan.
One builder starts building a wall, another starts on the roof, someone else is pouring concrete for the driveway. No coordination. No direction.
When the different elements of the house are brought together they don’t connect and the structure is likely to fail.
That’s what most businesses are doing with their marketing. Throwing money at marketing tactics—Facebook ads, SEO, content—without first creating a solid marketing strategy to form the foundation of their marketing.
1. No Clear Goal
If you don’t know what success looks like, how will you know you’ve achieved it? How will you know it’s working?
Is it more leads? More sales? Better retention? Brand awareness? You need to pick a focus—and build around it.
2. Trying to Talk to Everyone
This is a big one.
When you’re trying to reach everyone, you end up connecting with no one.
You need to be clear on your ideal customer and target your message specifically at what is important to them. What are their needs? What keeps them up at night? What are they already spending money on? And, most importantly, how do they feel?
3. Inconsistent Messaging
One week your brand is fun and cheeky. The next, it’s super corporate. Confused customers don’t buy. Your voice and message need to be consistent so people know who you are and why you’re the right choice.
4. Random Acts of Marketing
Most business owners believe in the need to do “some marketing”. That’s what we’re all told we need to do, right?.
This often results in posting to social media when you feel guilty for being quiet. Or reacting to a competitors promotion by running some advertising. Or perhaps agreeing to that radio contract because they’re giving you a lot of free space.
These aren’t strategies—they’re reactions. And they don’t build long-term growth.
5. Sounding like everyone else
A clear point of difference is what helps people choose you over the business down the road. If you sound just like your competitors, why would anyone pick you?
That’s where your unique selling proposition (USP) comes in. It’s what sets you apart. And if you’re finding it hard to pinpoint something truly unique, then at the very least, you need a premium selling proposition (PSP)—a reason someone would pay more for what you offer.
Whatever your edge is, make sure it shows up in your brand’s personality. Because even if your services are similar, you are different—and that’s often the deciding factor.
So, what does work? Strategic, intentional marketing built on a strong foundation.
Here’s what we walk clients through at the Marketing Architect:
1. Start With Your Business Goals
Not your marketing goals—your business goals. Are you trying to grow revenue by 20% this year? Break into a new market? Launch a new product line? Marketing should support that, not the other way around.
2. Get Clear on Your Ideal Customer
This is more than just demographics. You need to understand their pain points, what influences their decisions, and what makes them say “yes.” We help you dig deep into this so every message you put out speaks directly to the people who matter.
3. Define Your Message
What do you want to be known for? What makes you different? Why should people care? Crafting a clear, consistent message helps you stand out and builds trust over time.
4. Map Out the Customer Journey
People don’t usually go from “never heard of you” to “take my money” in one step. You need to guide them through a journey—from awareness, to consideration, to decision. That journey needs to be intentional and aligned with how real people buy.
5. Choose the Right Channels
Only after you’ve done all the above do we choose the tactical channels. Sometimes that’s Google ads. Sometimes it’s social media. And sometimes it’s a more traditional marketing activity like networking. The point is your tactics serve the strategy—not the other way around.
The Good News? You Can Fix This
If you’ve been pouring time and money into marketing and seeing little return, take a deep breath—it’s not you. You’re not broken. Your business isn’t doomed. And you’re definitely not alone.
You’re just missing the structure.
Marketing doesn’t work when it’s random. It doesn’t work when it’s copy-paste. And it definitely doesn’t work when it’s trying to be all things to all people.
Marketing can be a powerful growth engine. But only when it’s built on a strong plan.
Take the time to build the right strategy, align it to your business goals, and commit to doing the right marketing activity that will connect with your customers?
I’ve seen it time and time again with my clients. Once we align the pieces, growth becomes natural, predictable, and repeatable.
So, if you’re tired of marketing that doesn’t work, maybe it’s time to start building your marketing foundations.
That’s why I started Marketing Architect—to help business owners stop guessing and start growing.
Let’s chat. Book a discovery call with me and let’s make marketing work for your business.
