What’s Your Marketing REALLY Doing for You? 5 Outcomes
Judging by some posts I’ve seen and conversations I’ve been having, it looks like more business owners are finally waking up to this marketing lie: “You just need to show up consistently and showcase your personality: that’s what people are buying.”
I mean, who wouldn’t want to believe that?!
Not only does it sound easy as cherry pie: it’s even more of an ego boost than when passersby tell me they love my 80s outfits.
But as I’ve been saying for years: while it is a piece of the puzzle, it’s not enough on its own, especially with the current market and trust recession (unless you literally sell personal branding or social media popularity).
So, I’m sharing 5 different marketing outcomes with you.
If you feel like, given the value of your services and the time or money you’ve been investing in your marketing, you should get better results, this breakdown will uncover the actual problem or blind spot
And I’ll be honest: while the 5th one is what we should always aim for, I’ve been fluctuating between some of the other scenarios myself throughout the years, even as a marketing strategist. Why? It’s a tricky balance when we’re so close to our business and marketing, especially in certain situations (like a pivot).
But if when we don’t fix it, we’re left relying on sporadic referrals and a lot more effort and touchpoints than we’d like, to reach and sign the right clients.
Before we dive into it, though, a disclaimer: I believe there are no one-size-fits-all solutions in marketing. Everyone’s situation is unique, and there are additional scenarios too, like having the wrong-fit offers altogether.
However, these are the most common ones for profitable businesses.
5 most common marketing outcomes
1. Complete unknown
❌ Your ideal client doesn’t remember your name, face, or brand
❌ They don’t understand and remember what you do
❌ They don’t see themselves in your marketing
❌ They don’t believe you can help them solve their problem and achieve their main goal
Root cause: Your marketing is all over the place, too sporadic to stick, or your audience is genuinely too small (but this scenario is rare among the women in my world)
2. Familiar influencer or online friend
✅ Your ideal client remembers your name, face, or brand
❌ They don’t understand and remember what you do
❌ They don’t see themselves in your marketing
❌ They don’t believe you can help them solve their problem and achieve their main goal
Root cause: You’re consistent with your marketing but it either doesn’t actually feed into your services or your messaging is too vague and complicated, instead of matching your ideal clients’ language
(For example, a trainer mostly sharing personal branding content, photos, or inspirational emails or a coach using generic buzzwords like “I’ll help you overcome your blocks and unlock that next business level” rather than a clearer “We’ll work on the trauma and beliefs causing you to self-sabotage so you can double your revenue without burning out every few months”)
3. Interesting but not for me
✅ Your ideal client remembers your name, face, or brand
✅ They understand and remember what you do
❌ They don’t see themselves in your marketing
❌ They don’t believe you can help them solve their problem and achieve their main goal
Root cause: You are consistently talking about your area of expertise but not in a way that positions your services as the bridge between your specific ideal clients’ current challenges and their goals. So, your targeting and messaging is still off
(For example, SEOs who want to sign more retainer clients for their higher-ticket done-for-you services but the bulk of their marketing is SEO tips that resonate with industry peers or business owners still trying to DIY everything. Or coaches who want to target established, successful business owners but use low-vibe language like “You’re struggling” or “You’ve had yet another week without new leads”)
4. Compelling but unconvincing
✅ Your ideal client remembers your name, face, or brand
✅ They understand and remember what you do
✅ They see themselves in your marketing
❌ They don’t believe you can help them solve their problem and achieve their main goal
Root cause: You nailed your messaging but haven’t given your audience enough reasons to trust what you’re saying and promising
(For example, a copywriter who never shares actual client results, a consultant whose marketing doesn’t make you think “She actually made me look at this from a completely different perspective”, any service provider whose behaviour doesn’t match what they preach—like someone claiming they don’t care about the algorithm and then leaving 13 comments underneath their own posts—or a coach who shies away from actual promotional content or justifies it with “I don’t normally do sales posts buuuuut”, making you doubt whether or not she believes in her services herself)
5. THE authority
✅ Your ideal client remembers your name, face, or brand
✅ They understand and remember what you do
✅ They see themselves in your marketing
✅ They believe you can help them solve their problem and achieve their main goal
What gets you there: crystal-clear and magnetic messaging, shared with conviction through consistent marketing that shifts beliefs and builds both trust and authority
What marketing scenario matches your business situation right now?
I hope this breakdown was a valuable reflection opportunity for you and gave you some direction.
And if you’re a brilliant woman founder but your current marketing situation is NOT 5, here’s how we can change it together