I grew up around entrepreneurs who believed work should teach you, and then you build something of your own. That mindset shaped how I see marketing. My take is simple: most brands don’t fail because of bad products; they fail because they hide behind marketing fear.
Marketing fear looks like delaying decisions, outsourcing judgment to the wrong partners, and pretending “brand” will fix weak strategy. It shows up in every industry. It’s time to drop it and get disciplined about communication, testing, and execution.
The Core Argument
The biggest risk in marketing is not the spend—it’s denial. Too many companies hand off growth to people who don’t know what they’re doing, then blame the channel. I’ve watched it for years, across thousands of brands we’ve supported at Hawke Media—names like Red Bull, Sweetgreen, Barstool, and Casamigos.
I learned early that the best product loses if no one hears about it. Media and message matter more than ego. As I put it often: if you don’t have a real communication strategy, you’re just hawking stuff at retail and hoping it sticks.
“Whatever you do, if you don’t have a good communication strategy, if you don’t understand how to leverage media… you’re spending a lot of time hawking stuff at retail.”
That belief drove me to build a different kind of firm. The mission was clear: be great at the work and easy to work with. Too many “top” agencies hide behind jargon, lock you into bad contracts, and confuse activity with progress.
“There’s no barrier to entry as a marketer. So 99% of them have no idea what they’re doing.”
Proof From The Trenches
Experience taught me to trust results over rhetoric. We helped launch an activewear brand that sold to Bally Total Fitness in a year. That wasn’t luck. It was focus on channels, creative, and speed. Years earlier, I lived inside AdWords, studying changes daily because the platform kept shifting. That effort paid off when self-serve tools opened and scale became real.
Social media tells the same story. I’ve seen firms in finance lead on social years before rules caught up. One team even helped FINRA shape the early guardrails. Yet most firms still don’t use social well. Not because it doesn’t work—because they’re scared to try, scared to learn, or stuck in old playbooks.
“We were the first firm to really do it… And I would say most firms still don’t leverage it. It’s kinda crazy.”
Entrepreneurs share the same complaint about agencies. I hear the horror stories every week. That pain is real, but it’s fixable with the right mindset and model.
How To Beat Marketing Fear
Here’s the simple framework I use to keep teams honest and results-driven.
- Start with clear goals, channels, and timelines. No fuzzy KPIs.
- Test fast. Kill what fails. Scale what works. Weekly.
- Own the message. Product wins only when the story lands.
- Demand clarity from partners. No vanity metrics. No black boxes.
- Keep optionality. Month-to-month beats long lock-ins.
Apply these steps, and fear gives way to data and decisions.
Red Flags I Won’t Ignore
These signs tell me a campaign or partner is headed the wrong way.
- They can’t tie spend to outcomes you care about.
- They talk theory more than execution and learning.
- They hide behind buzzwords or refuse to share raw data.
- They sell you “set it and forget it.”
- They need a long contract to prove value.
If you see two or more, cut bait and regroup.
Addressing The Pushback
Some argue this is harsh. They say great agencies need complexity and control. I disagree. Expertise should create clarity, not confusion. If a partner can’t explain what they’re doing and how it will drive revenue or real brand lift, that’s not expertise—it’s theater.
“There’s gotta be a way to solve this where we can be the best at what we do, but easy to work with.”
My Takeaway
Marketing works when courage meets accountability. My dad once told me:
“I have no idea what you’re doing, but as long as it’s legal, I’m proud of you.”
That line stuck. Take bold swings, but make them measurable. Don’t hand your future to fear, or to partners who profit from your confusion.
Here’s the call: audit your plan this week. Set clear targets. Cut weak channels. Double down on winners. And if a partner can’t show you how to win, find one who can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I know if marketing is actually working?
Define one primary goal per channel and review weekly. Track cost per acquisition, return on ad spend, or qualified leads. If it’s not trending up, change it.
Q: What should I expect from a good agency partner?
Clear plans, transparent reporting, fast testing, and candid feedback. They should show learning cycles and decisions tied to your revenue goals.
Q: How much should I spend to start?
Spend enough to get signal fast. For paid channels, that often means a few weeks of daily budget that can reach statistical confidence. Then scale winners.
Q: Are social platforms still worth it?
Yes—if your creative is strong and you test often. Social remains powerful for reach and demand capture. Most failures are strategy or execution issues.
Q: How do I avoid getting burned by an agency?
Use short contracts, insist on access to accounts and data, set measurable goals, and review weekly. If results stall for two cycles, pivot fast.
