Marketing Isn’t Optional: Why Most Businesses Struggle and How to Finally Get It Right

I recently started working with a business that has grown past 7 digits in annual revenue. Sounds like they’ve made it, right? But here’s the kicker: they have no marketing plan. No campaigns. No strategy. Not even a budget.

Guess what else they don’t have?

Growth.

Unless you count the slow drip of referrals they’re barely holding onto.

And that’s not a unique case. After talking with dozens of business owners — both small and large — I keep hearing the same things over and over again:

“We don’t have a marketing budget.”

“Marketing doesn’t work.”

“We tried Facebook ads once, and nothing happened.”

The truth is, marketing isn't a magic pill. But without it, you're essentially whispering into a crowded room and hoping the right people somehow hear you.

The Budget Blind Spot

Let’s just be real here — if you don’t have a budget for marketing, you don’t have a plan for growth. Period.

That doesn't mean you need to throw tens of thousands of dollars at an agency tomorrow, but it does mean you need to get serious.

We recommend allocating 10–15% of your gross revenue toward marketing. Yes, that can be adjusted depending on your goals and cash flow. But starting somewhere is better than standing still.

Even a modest budget can go a long way when it’s focused and strategic.

Get Your House in Order First

Here’s the part no one likes to talk about:

If your product or service sucks, marketing will only speed up the process of your customers figuring that out.

It’s like pouring gas on a trash fire.

Before you run your first ad or hire a copywriter, make sure your service delivery, customer experience, and internal processes are solid. There’s nothing worse than investing in an amazing campaign only to fall flat because your systems can’t support the growth.

People Buy with Emotion, Not Logic

You might think you're in the business of selling insurance, IT support, plumbing, or financial planning. But you're not.

You’re in the business of creating emotional connections.

People don’t just buy a product — they buy the story. The feeling. The trust. The belief that you’ll solve their problem in a way no one else can.

Especially in industries where services have become commodities, competing on price is a race to the bottom. And it's a race nobody really wins.

Inject emotion. Share real stories. Show how your service makes lives easier, happier, or more secure. Give people a reason to believe in what you’re doing.

How to Actually Get Started with Marketing

Before you start “doing marketing,” make sure these foundational pieces are in place:

1. Know Your Customer
   Who they are, what they need, and how they think.

2. Define Your Brand
   What makes you different? What do you stand for?

3. Set a Budget
   Even if it’s small, set one. Then track what you’re getting in return.

4. Track and Measure — Every. Single. Campaign.
   - You need to know what’s working and what’s not — at the campaign level.
   - Was it the email that drove conversions? The Instagram ad? The referral bonus offer?
   - If you lump it all together as “marketing,” you’ll never know what’s actually moving the needle.

5. Build with Consistency
   Marketing isn’t one ad or one blog post. It’s a rhythm.

6. Be Willing to Learn
   Marketing requires experimentation. Some stuff won’t work. That’s okay — you iterate and get smarter.

A Better Way Forward

You don’t need a Super Bowl budget. You need a strategy. You need to understand your customer. You need consistency. And you need to care.

That’s why we created Upsociate: to help entrepreneurs like you stop guessing, and start building something real.

It’s not just about tools or tactics — it’s about mindset. Upsociate is a place for honest conversations, entrepreneurial grit, and actionable insights that actually move the needle.

Marketing isn’t optional anymore. But with the right strategy and community, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming either.