You’re the Reason your Marketing Sucks
Ok, I’m sorry that may sound a little harsh but there is truth in it. The reason your marketing efforts could be going to waste can be because you don’t know what your audience wants. Think about it, when you send out those flyers to get your name out there, what’s the first thing people do with those flyers? Throw them out if it doesn’t catch their attention. Don’t waste your time telling people about a place just to “get your name out there”. That is one way to have your flyer dropped right into the trash because, who cares?
RESEARCH
There are things you need to know to catch your customers interest, first being, know your target audience. Do a deep dive and figure out who your service or product is definitely designed for…and EVERYBODY is not the answer. While you are doing this research, keep in mind to understand the audience, their pain points and what they are looking for.
TIP: Your target audience could be various age groups, but your marketing can have different setups delivered to specific audiences. What excites young adults may not excite a more mature audience. Marketing is an on-going and constantly evolving endeavor. Don’t give up!
STAND OUT
Nobody wants to read about just another business providing a service. Don’t be afraid to step on some toes. Don’t be overly vanilla in your marketing efforts unless you enjoy flushing money down the drain. People want to be entertained and if you can provide that for even a second, that is one flyer that may not end up in the trash bin but rather on the refrigerator to remember the next time they need your service or product. Having marketing stick in your audience’s mind will keep you remembered and your competitors forgotten. People want people they can trust, get behind, understand. Being relatable in your marketing can build this trust. This is one of the reasons the talking head format is so effective in the news, or why your website will be more interesting with a video of someone describing the services as opposed to someone with just a static website.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
So how do you actually pull this off without over-complicating things? Start simple: Take what you learned from your audience research (those pain points, desires, and quirks) and infuse it into every piece of marketing you create. Write copy like you're talking to one real person—not a faceless crowd. Share stories from behind the scenes, crack a joke that fits your brand vibe, or call out a common frustration your competitors ignore. Be bold enough to have an opinion, even if it ruffles a few feathers (as long as it's authentic). Test different formats too—short videos where you or a team member speaks directly to the camera work wonders because people connect with faces and voices way faster than walls of text. Post them on social, embed them on your site, or even print a QR code on flyers that links straight to the video. The goal? Make your marketing feel human, helpful, and a little unforgettable.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Stop throwing money at generic “get your name out there” tactics that end up in the trash. When you deeply understand your audience, dare to stand out with personality, and build real trust through relatable, entertaining content, your marketing stops being noise and starts being the signal people actually pay attention to. Your flyers (or posts, emails, ads—whatever) won't just get noticed—they'll get remembered, shared, and acted on. You'll turn strangers into fans, fans into customers, and customers into repeat business that keeps your doors open and your competitors scrambling. Marketing isn't about being the loudest; it's about being the one people trust and can't forget. Do that consistently, and watch the wasted effort turn into real growth. You've got this—now go make some noise worth hearing.
If you would like help in your marketing efforts flag me down so we can talk about it.