Here’s some advice that probably sounds obvious on the surface: what works for one business won’t necessarily work for another.
Makes sense, right? After all, your dental practice probably has some significant differences from the successful car wash down the street. Or even the big law firm with all the billboards around town.
Unfortunately, it’s a truth that many businesses overlook when it comes to marketing. All too often, they see competitors doing something successfully or learn about big marketing trends and decide to follow them despite the lack of a clear strategy.
Typically, this “cookie-cutter marketing” results in an utter failure where the business feels like all they’ve done is waste time, money, and effort. Sometimes, they may even come to the incorrect conclusion that marketing must not work for them.
Why does this happen, and what should you do instead?
The Copy-Paste Trap: Why It Rarely Works
Okay, let’s use an example. Say you see a nearby coffee shop exploding on Instagram with quirky memes and reels. Immediately, you think, “We should do that too!”
But here’s the problem. Different audiences have different needs, pain points, expectations, and communication styles. Even if two businesses are in the same industry, their target markets, branding, and tone can differ wildly.
Marketing success isn’t about replicating someone else’s playbook. It’s about crafting a strategy that’s unique to your business, your customers, and your goals.
Why a Custom Strategy Is Always Better Than Cookie-Cutter Marketing
A well-designed digital marketing strategy works better over time because it takes into account several business-specific factors:
Target Audience. Who are you trying to reach? A family-owned daycare has a very different audience than a high-end real estate developer.
Brand Voice. Are you professional and buttoned-up… or casual and quirky? Your marketing should reflect your business’s personality.
Budget and Resources. Not every business has the time or money to create TikToks five days a week. And that’s okay. (Because the vast majority of businesses don’t need to.)
Sales Process. Are you selling products online or nurturing leads over a months-long B2B cycle? This process affects everything from your content to your calls-to-action.
Local vs. National Reach. A neighborhood restaurant and a nationwide e-commerce brand don’t need the same SEO or paid ads strategy.
These bullet points are just the beginning. The point is, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
It Starts with Questions and Communication
To that end, your first meeting with us always starts with questions. We take time to get to know your business, what makes it different, and where you want to go. From there, we build a plan that aligns your marketing with your specific needs and resources.
Often, that plan includes email marketing. For some businesses it may lean heavily into SEO, Google Ads, or social campaigns. We don’t ignore physical marketing either – sometimes, a mailer really is the best way to go.
Most importantly, we regularly review and adjust based on what’s working and what isn’t for you – not what worked for someone else last year.
Bottom line? If your marketing isn’t delivering results, it might not be because it’s bad. It might just be because it wasn’t built for you.
Stop trying to copy the business next door. Take the time to understand your audience, your strengths, and your goals, then build your marketing around that. Because the most effective strategy is always a personalized one. Schedule a free consultation to see how we can help.
