The biggest marketing mistake? Trying to be everywhere at once because you think you "should" be on every platform. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, email, blogs... stop! You're not Nike. You don't have a team of 47 people creating content.
Pick one, maybe two platforms and actually show up consistently instead of posting sporadically across five platforms and wondering why nothing's working.
Mistake number two: focusing on vanity metrics instead of what actually pays your bills. Getting excited about 500 Instagram likes while ignoring that your email list hasn't grown in six months? That's not marketing success, that's social media entertainment.
Small businesses who track leads, sales, and revenue from their marketing efforts are more likely to hit their growth goals than businesses obsessing over follower counts.
Here's another big one: copying what works for big businesses. That viral campaign from a Fortune 500 company? It won't work for your local service business. They have million-dollar budgets, huge teams, and different goals. Small business marketing works best when it's personal, authentic, and relationship-focused—not when it's trying to mimic corporate campaigns.
The foundation mistake that causes all the others? Skipping strategy and jumping straight to tactics. "I need to be on TikTok" or "I should start a podcast" without understanding why or how these tactics serve your business goals.
Strategy isn't sexy, but it's what separates businesses that grow from businesses that stay stuck. Before you create content, launch campaigns, or invest in tools, know what you're trying to achieve and how you'll measure success.
