How to Stop Wasting Time on Marketing That Doesn’t Get You Results
What I thought I was going to get that day in Rome…
One of the biggest things I hear from small business owners I’m chatting with is “[marketing tactic] is a giant waste of time.” And you know what? It probably is. For them. I see small businesses all the time wasting time on marketing tactics that are just not serving them or their business because it's just not in line with what’s at the root of what they’re trying to achieve.
As I was thinking about it, I remembered one particularly stressful day that just did not go as I had planned.
A few years ago, I went to Rome with my family.
Let’s start with this–I am a planner. I love food. I love to travel. I take these things all very seriously. In my family, I’m the odd duck on this one.
One afternoon, we wandered the streets, soaking in the atmosphere. But then, my family started transforming into hangry monsters, one by one. Tensions rose, and things were said—it wasn’t pretty.
Desperate, we chose the first restaurant with an overly charming, smiling waiter outside and the promise of pasta. The pasta was scam-level overpriced, and terrible, and by the time we ate, we were all in a mood.
Were we fed? Yes. Were we happy? Not at all. Did we miss out on an opportunity to mangia bene? Yep. Could this have been avoided? Absolutely.
If we had made a better plan for that morning, pre-agreed on a general area and pre-scoped a few spots for food, we would have been better off. Or, at the very least, one of us could have planned ahead and packed a snack to throw at the hanger monster when it began to rear its ugly head. Wandering aimlessly can be fun—until you’re dragging a whole group behind you, and then it’s just chaos.
Running a business without clear goals is the same way.
Hear me out.
The Problem: Vague Goals Lead to Aimless Strategies
I hear it all the time: “I just want to grow.” I mean, same. But, what does growth actually mean to you?
More revenue? How much?
More clients? How many?
Expanding into new markets? Where and when?
Adding new product lines? What kind?
Without clarity, you end up throwing bad tourist spaghetti at the wall, hoping something sticks. And that’s exhausting—not to mention expensive in your time, dollars, and missed opportunity.
The Solution: SMART Goals as Your North Star
A good strategy starts with a goal. And, I have found that the best goals follow the SMART framework:
Specific – What exactly does growth look like for you?
Measurable – How will you track progress?
Achievable – Is this realistic for your business?
Relevant – Does it align with your bigger vision?
Time-bound – When do you want to achieve it?
For example, a strong, high-level SMART goal for a small business might be:
"Increase average monthly revenue by 25% within the next 3 months by increasing net new customers and current customer lifetime value."
A sub-goal to support that could be:
“Increase purchases from existing customers by 10% within the next 3 months through a targeted customer reactivation campaign.”
The Growth Formula: The Four Levers of Business Success
To see where I was going with that example, here’s a breakdown.
Growth in business is typically driven by these four key levers:
Getting More Customers – Raising awareness, nurturing leads, and converting prospects.
Keeping Customers Longer – Enhancing customer experience and loyalty.
Growing Customer Value – Encouraging repeat purchases and upsells for LTV (lifetime value) and average basket size.
Generating Additional Revenue Streams – Diversifying income sources.
Every marketing move you make should be tied to one of these levers. If it’s not? You’re likely just throwing time and money at random tactics.
You're an overly busy small business owner; you don't have time for that.
What Growth Means to You
This is where most businesses lose time and resources—by not having a clear goal. If you’re just “doing marketing” without a focus, you’re spending time and money with no guarantee of results. Take awareness, for example. If you don’t know how many new customers you actually need, or where they’re coming from, or what your ideal customer actually wants, you could end up wasting hours creating content, running ads, or networking without a clear purpose or message.
Without a strategy, even the best efforts can feel like spinning your wheels. You might gain some traction, but is it actually getting you where you want to go?
If you’re ready to stop wandering and start moving toward real, tangible results, let’s set your strategy. Book a Get It Done Day with me, and we’ll map out exactly what you need to do next. Schedule a free strategy consultation, and let’s talk through your goals and start coming up with tactics!
Let’s make 2025 the year you achieve your vision—with a plan that actually works. 💡✨
