5 Marketing Truths We’d Tell You If We Weren’t Afraid To Hurt Your Feelings
If we’re being honest, one of the hardest parts of marketing we see our clients face is unlearning some of the bad habits or common misconceptions the industry has normalized. We see it every day with growing brands. Amazing, unique product offerings, passionate (yet totally stretched too thin) teams and so much potential, paired with reactive decision-making, scattered strategies and the pressure to somehow do everything and be everything at once. This can result in a whole lot of noise, without any sustainable growth.
So, consider this some tough love. These are some truths we’d tell you if we weren’t afraid to hurt your feelings — and what to do differently.
You’re focusing so much on gaining new customers that you’re alienating the ones you already have
Everyone wants growth. But too many brands mistake “growth” for “constantly chasing new people.”
Here’s the reality: Your next sale is probably coming from a returning customer.If you’re pouring all your energy into acquisition while existing customers feel neglected, unseen, or uninspired… you’re leaving serious revenue on the table. New customers build reach, but returning customers build businesses.
What to do instead:
Create content and experiences for the people already here
Talk to your existing audience, reward them, nurture them
Remember: loyalty → lifetime value → sustainable growth
2. You’re relying on ads because you haven’t built true demand
Listen when we say, ads are not the villain — but they’re only powerful when used well. For a lot of brands, paid media isn’t fuel, it’s a life support system. If you turn off ads and revenue stops, that tells us that your organic systems are broken.
Ads are a tactic, not a strategy. If you haven’t built clarity, trust, organic momentum, or emotional connection, ads can’t magically create it.
What to do instead:
Build organic demand (email, social, content people actually want)
Use paid to amplify momentum, not compensate for lack of it
Invest in storytelling, positioning, and brand clarity
Play the long game so ads complement, not carry
3. Your retention system (or lack thereof) is draining your revenue
A lot of brands underestimate retention because it’s a lot less sexy than acquisition. The truth is,
flows, segmentation, and lifecycle strategy can literally make you money while you sleep.
If your email list is underutilized, your customer journey stops at checkout, and your “strategy” is just sending campaigns when you remember, you’re not just missing opportunities, you’re losing money.
What to do instead:
Build automated flows that nurture, educate, and re-engage
Segment customers by behavior, not just broad lists
Personalize messaging instead of blasting everyone
Treat retention as a revenue system — because it is
4. You keep reinventing the wheel, and it’s burning you out
Brands often think the solution to underperformance is “doing more” or “reinventing everything.” More platforms. More posting. More random ideas to see what sticks. Constant reinvention isn’t innovation — it’s exhaustion. If every week feels like a scramble to figure out “what to do next,” the problem isn’t creativity, it’s the lack of strategy guiding it.
Consistency is what creates trust, recognition, momentum, and growth. Not constant reinvention.
What to do instead:
Build a real strategy and stick to it long enough to work
Repeat yourself — people need to hear your message more than once
Create systems instead of constantly starting over
5. Your channels aren’t broken, your process is
When social, email, and ads operate in isolation, everything feels harder. You’re forcing performance instead of creating it. You’re reacting instead of orchestrating, and ultimately, you’re working harder than you should be.
When channels don’t talk to each other, customers don’t move through a journey — they just get hit from different directions and hope it makes sense.
What to do instead:
Build an ecosystem, not separate channels
Let social feed email, email fuel loyalty, and paid extend reach
Align messaging, timing, and goals across platforms
Think in systems, not silos
The good news? None of this is doom and gloom. The sooner you confront what isn’t serving you, the sooner you can fix it. If you’re ready to stop reacting and start building something smarter, more intentional, and more sustainable — let’s talk.