We mostly hear about the winners (like Facebook and Apple), not the many entrepreneurs who tried similar approaches and failed. This creates a false picture that can lead to poor business decisions.

Picture yourself walking through a graveyard where only the fanciest tombstones still stand. Time crumbled away the simple ones. Looking around, you might think everyone buried here was wealthy. You're just seeing the survivors.

Marketers must constantly look closely at their growth engine. What looks successful on paper often conceals disastrous vulnerabilities. Here are eight (if that is too many, just read 3 or 5 or whatever works for you) questions you can ask during your investigation:
1. Are we building on rented or owned platforms? Every algorithm change, reach reduction, or cost spike exposes the fragility of platform-dependent marketing.
2. How quickly can external forces dismantle our current strategy? LinkedIn throttling reach, Instagram algorithm shifts, or rising paid customer acquisition costs can instantly transform a "solid" marketing system into a leaking structure.

A customer will very quickly leave the company that gives empty promises and makes no effort to correct the resulting unsatisfactory outcome. They are not available for time-wasting nonsense. You’re looking for a version of a customer that doesn’t exist anymore.

Creating the conditions for the word to spread is the job of the marketer. Spreading the word is the job of the customer. Great brand marketing doesn’t just promote a product. It creates an emotional container people want to step into and incorporate into their lifestyle, and tell other people about.

Avoid producing (and consuming) marketing junk food. Feed your audience substance and they will thank you with their attention and business.

What now?

Many of us defend past decisions, doubling down on failing campaigns. We point to the research, time invested, and executive buy-in we secured. We resist walking away from work representing our best thinking that failed. This attachment creates marketing inertia. While competitors pivot quickly based on feedback, organizations clinging to past investments continue pushing messages that fall flat and strategies that drain resources without delivering results.

Pay attention to whether you are engaged in reinforcing customer loyalty by aligning messaging with their deeply held beliefs or trying to change their minds. If you are doing the latter you are risking triggering the backfire effect. Simply put, this phenomenon occurs when individuals encounter information that challenges their existing views, causing them to resist accepting the new evidence and become even more convinced of their initial stance.

Most of us marketing professionals chase innovation for its own sake. We implement new platforms not because they solve problems but because they represent "progress." We add campaign features because we can, not because they resonate with our audience. Each complexity layer distances us from the customer's experience which is the very thing we aim to understand.

Draw customers to you instead of chasing them. This eliminates the need for price-cutting or gimmicks and allows your business to maintain its value and dignity. This philosophy/strategy is adaptable across industries, including professional services, retail, B2B, healthcare, and education, but their implementation can vary based on industry norms, audience characteristics, and available resources. How? Great question.

In marketing, defensive practices emerge when teams prioritize documentation and consensus over effectiveness. Marketing teams might spread the budget across numerous channels to "cover all bases" rather than concentrate resources where data shows they'd perform best. This stems from the fear of missing opportunities, leadership criticism, or blame if focused strategies don't yield immediate results.

Skilled marketers think ahead, evaluating how today's decisions shape tomorrow's opportunities. Instead of chasing quick wins that impress but damage brand perception, they prioritize consistency and strategic positioning.
Viral content drives traffic, but when it misaligns with your brand voice, it undermines customer relationships. Proficient marketers choose content that resonates with their audience, establishing authority that enables future conversions.

Always remember that it is impossible to craft marketing copy in such a way that it cannot be misunderstood: there will always be some who misunderstand you.

The principle that "good habits create good art" translates directly to marketing excellence. Consistent brand voice, regular customer engagement, and disciplined testing build the foundation upon which creative marketing flourishes. The systematic, daily practices of listening to customers and refining messaging ultimately produce what appears as marketing genius.

Are you paralyzed by the fear of launching imperfect campaigns or testing unproven strategies? Are you waiting for the perfect market conditions, creative, or timing that never arrives? This hesitation is particularly damaging in today's seemingly always-shifting landscape, where market opportunities can evaporate in weeks or even days.

Breaking free from marketing inertia demands decisive action and sustained energy. Yes, marketers must invest significant effort to master new tools, craft fresh creative approaches, and build a presence on emerging platforms. However, once they establish these new marketing systems, maintaining momentum requires far less energy than the initial push.