I'm constantly talking with founders about their marketing challenges. But sometimes the biggest marketing problem isn't actually marketing at all.
It's the fundamentals.
After reading a post from a 20-year business advisor who's worked with over 200 companies, I noticed something striking: the same mistakes keep showing up across businesses of all sizes.
And these mistakes are absolutely murdering your marketing effectiveness.
Let's break down these business killers and how they're sabotaging your growth efforts:
Your pricing is way off
This is the silent killer I see with nearly every new client we onboard.
Too many founders price based on competition or "what feels right" instead of actual value delivered. If your margins are razor-thin, no amount of Facebook ad optimization will save you.
When your product is priced too low, you're fighting an uphill battle where even the most brilliant marketing campaign can't generate sustainable profits. You simply can't acquire customers profitably.
On the flip side, if you're priced too high without the differentiation to back it up, your conversion rates tank and CAC skyrockets.
The fix? Obsess over your unit economics. Know your breakeven ROAS. If you need a 7x ROAS to be profitable, you don't have a marketing problem – you have a pricing problem.
You're not watching your numbers
This one hurts me deep in my soul.
I'll ask a new client about their profit margins, customer acquisition costs, or lifetime value, and I'll get blank stares or vague estimates.
How can you expect to grow if you're flying blind?
Marketing without metrics is like throwing darts blindfolded. You might hit something occasionally, but you'll never improve your aim.
The best marketers are data nerds at heart. They know exactly what's working, what's not, and where every dollar goes. They have dashboards set up in Google Data Studio (now Looker) to track everything in real-time.
You're working IN the business instead of ON it
This is the entrepreneur's curse.
You're so caught up in day-to-day operations that you never step back to think strategically about growth.
You're the one responding to customer service emails, tweaking Facebook ad copy, and ordering inventory – instead of building systems that scale.
Your marketing suffers because it becomes reactive rather than strategic. You're constantly putting out fires instead of building the marketing flywheel that generates compounding returns.
The solution? Start documenting processes and delegating. Your time as a founder should be spent on high-leverage activities that move the needle.
You don't understand your customer deeply enough
I've written about this before, but it bears repeating:
You can't market effectively to someone you don't understand.
Too many brands create marketing that focuses on features instead of addressing specific customer pain points. They talk about what they think is cool about their product, not what actually solves their customer's problems.
When was the last time you mined Reddit for customer insights? Or actually talked to customers about why they bought from you? These gold mines of information are sitting right there, waiting to be tapped.
You've got shiny object syndrome
The marketing landscape is constantly shifting. New platforms, new tactics, new technologies.
It's tempting to chase every new opportunity. But successful brands maintain focus.
I've seen startups simultaneously trying to master TikTok, Pinterest, podcasting, email marketing, and influencer partnerships – all with a team of two people. The result? Mediocrity across the board.
Pick your battles. Do fewer things better. Double down on what's working instead of constantly pivoting to the next shiny tactic.
The hard truth is that marketing can only amplify what's already working in your business. If your foundation is shaky, no amount of ad spend will save you.
Fix these fundamentals first, then watch your marketing effectiveness multiply.
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