One of the biggest mistakes I see business owners make in their marketing is:
They jump right in.
They get an idea, they post it, they write the email, they do what they think they're supposed to do...
And then when it doesn’t work, they're not sure why, and they feel discouraged.
And I get that! They want to start connecting and see things moving forward!
But the problem is: When they jump right in and start publishing... they miss the first step.
They skip the part where they build a strategy around what they’re doing —
and this means that they don't consider why they’re doing it.
If they aren’t tuned into their goals, they're actions aren't aligned with a particular outcome.
And it makes it difficult to understand what “success” looks like… let alone be able to achieve it.
Honestly? It’s like being in Boston, getting in your car, driving around randomly for three days… and then wondering why you’re not in California. Why would you be?
When we don’t know where we’re headed, we tend default to one (or both) of these patterns:
- The Spaghetti Method — the classic "throw spaghetti against the wall" approach where we toss out content, offers, or ideas and hope something sticks
- The Desperation Spiral — when things don’t stick, we get nervous
. We feel like we've lost important ground so we scramble.
In both of these cases, we are deciding our next step based on worry, concern… even fear.
And it’s easy to fall into these patterns, especially when you care about your business and the outcomes matter.
Here’s what I am trying to get to:
Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been running your business for years, it’s incredibly helpful to just pause for a moment and ask:
“What am I actually trying to do here?” 
Are you trying to grow your audience?
Make more sales?
Nurture your existing community?
Get clear on that — and then use that goal to build your plan.
Use your goal to shape your choices, your strategy, and your messaging.
This positions you to make decisions from a place of calm strategy and thoughtful planning.
The one thing that's guaranteed to not work is letting fear drive the car.
Fear can come along for the ride, but it doesn’t get to drive.
It belongs in the back seat, and hopefully it brought snacks. 
But it doesn't get to touch the steering wheel.
This is about marketing with intention, with a clear goal in mind, and then using that clarity to put a plan in place that actually drives the outcomes we’re looking for.
So I'm wondering...
If you paused right now and looked at your marketing, what's the #1 outcome you're working toward?
Tell me in the comments!
