Every business owner wants their marketing to “work”.
More leads. More sales. More growth.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Most marketing doesn’t fail because of the platform. It fails because there’s no strategy behind it.
In this episode of the podcast, I sat down with marketing strategist Melissa J. Scott to talk honestly about marketing, money, and why so many businesses feel frustrated after spending thousands on ads, content, or “the latest hack”.
Marketing Is Not a Magic Fix
One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is assuming that more marketing will solve deeper problems.
If the money you’re spending on marketing goes nowhere, it’s not an investment; it’s an expense with no return.
Marketing only works when it’s tied to:
- A clear strategy
- A clear understanding of your audience
- A defined outcome you’re actually tracking
Posting more, spending more, or jumping on every new platform doesn’t fix broken foundations.
The Foundations Too Many Businesses Skip
We talked about the basics that are often ignored:
- Do you actually know who your ideal client is?
- Do you understand what problem you solve for them?
- Are you clear on what success looks like before you spend a dollar?
Most businesses jump straight to promotion – ads, reels, content – without doing the groundwork. That’s like trying to build a house from the roof down.
Connection Still Beats Clever Tactics
With AI everywhere, it’s tempting to automate everything and hide behind tools.
But connection still matters.
People don’t buy because your ad was clever.
They buy because they trust you, relate to you, and believe you understand their problem.
That’s why personal branding, real conversations, and showing the human side of your business consistently outperform “perfect” but generic marketing.
Strategy Comes Before Spend
One of the most powerful takeaways from this conversation was this:
Marketing is not one thing. It’s a system.
Ads, content, Google, social media – they’re all just tools. Without a strategy, they won’t deliver consistent results.
Before you spend more on marketing, step back and ask:
- What’s actually working right now?
- Where do most of my good clients come from?
- Am I tracking results, or just hoping?
Marketing should support your business, not drain it!
If you want a real return, you need clarity, strategy, and consistency before you chase the next trend.
If you’re not sure whether your current marketing is actually working, or you want help stepping back and looking at it properly, get in touch. Sometimes one clear conversation can save you years of wasted spending.