This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of “MOLD CONNECTION” magazine.

What comes to mind when you think of “marketing”?

For many business owners, it’s social media and websites. Maybe getting on Canva and ChatGPT to create content. Most have tried these and nothing much happened. As a result, marketing often fades into the background behind the more urgent day-to-day priorities. It’s hard to justify the time, never mind the expense. But all the while, the owner has a nagging sense they should be doing more to promote their business.

If you treat marketing as a serious part of your business, you’re in the minority.

The good news is there’s another way to think about all this. A tried and tested way that’s as relevant now as it ever was. At the crux of it are two things: firstly, thinking of marketing’s full scope (and power) beyond just tactics like social media, and, secondly, understanding marketing’s effect on a company’s financial performance.

“A strategic approach makes sure your efforts (and marketing spend) are building on top of each other over time. Gone are the days of trying out a tactic here and there.”

If marketing your business is limited to Facebook, Instagram and a website, it’s going to be a grind. You’ll be competing with a lot of other businesses doing the same thing. Besides which, social media typically has only a weak impact on sales for small businesses.

The truth is, promotional activity is the final link at the end of the marketing chain, a chain covering:

Get the above right and your promotional work is likely to deliver real results. What’s more, each tactical iteration will build on top of earlier activity because it’s all integrated around a well-defined strategy. This is the key.

Yes, it’s a long list and hard work, but a strategy can be created and refined over time. You’ll get a much clearer idea of how to grow your customer base precisely because the strategy covers all fundamental aspects driving growth within the marketplace.

You’ll have greater control over your commercial spend, a framework to measure what’s working (and what’s not) and a guiding framework when making big decisions. It reduces relying on gut feelings and following competitors.

A strategic approach makes sure your efforts (and marketing spend) are building on top of each other over time. Gone are the days of trying out a tactic here and there.

What should you do with that time you’ve carved out in your diary?

Or, in other words, how do you go about navigating your way to growth?

Now, you can seek advice on what you should be doing, but ultimately it’s going to be determined by the way you answer the big questions:

1. Think of your marketing beyond the promotional tactics you can use. Commit – in your own mind, at least – to the pre-work that’s going to be essential to create a strategy;
2. Treat marketing as a professional discipline that should be led by research and data, not gut feeling;
3. Set time aside in your diary on a regular basis that’s protected from everything else;
4. Set money aside every month to build a budget. Whether you do it all yourself or use outside help, you’ll need a budget to work with to smooth out your cash flow.

Do these and you’ll set yourself up for developing a strategy.

Tip: If you want to go much deeper on these topics, I’d recommend “Marketing Payback” by Robert Shaw and anything by Mark Ritson.