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Throwing money at Marketing but finding it just isn't working? Why a marketing strategy is the answer.

  • Writer: Sophie Davies
    Sophie Davies
  • Jun 20
  • 4 min read

The real reason your marketing budget isn't delivering results - and the strategic foundation your SME actually needs.


Throwing money at marketing but it's just not working. Here's why....

When I meet business owners at networking events, there's one frustrated complaint I hear more than any other: "I'm spending money on marketing but it's just not working. What am I doing wrong?"


My answer is always the same: You're not doing marketing wrong - you're missing the strategic foundation that makes marketing work.


And frankly, it's costing you a fortune.


But what does that actually mean for your business? And why does it matter when you're trying to grow your SME on a limited budget?


The Tactical Marketing Trap That's Eating Your Budget


Walk into any networking event and you'll be bombarded with tactical solutions. You'll meet people who'll tell you they're brilliant at:


  • SEO optimisation

  • Website development

  • Social media management

  • Google Ads

  • Content creation

  • Email marketing


Here's the problem: these are all tactics.


And while tactical marketing has its place, spending money on tactics without strategic foundations is like building a house without foundations.


You might create something that looks impressive from the outside, but it won't deliver the ROI your business desperately needs.


What Strategic Marketing Actually Means (And Why It Saves You Money)


Strategic marketing is a much wider marketing practice that goes far beyond individual tactics. It's the foundation that makes everything else work - and stops you wasting money.


Strategic marketing starts with understanding your customers - really understanding them.


Most business owners I work with are actually doing their marketing right on a tactical level. They're using the right channels, posting religiously, investing in the right platforms. But here's what they're missing: they're not giving customers the right message.


You're basically shouting into the void.


Strategic marketing gives you that right message - the message your customers actually want to hear, not what you think they should hear.


The Critical Questions That Separate Marketing Strategy from Marketing

Tactics


When someone talks to you about a "marketing strategy," here's what you need to ask them:


"Is this a marketing strategy about what communications I need (like social media and SEO), or is this more high-level strategy linked to my business?"


Real strategic marketing focuses on:

  • What does my customer actually want?

  • What do I need to tell my customer to make them buy?

  • How am I going to sell to my customer effectively?

  • What makes my business meaningfully different?


Not just which tactics you should be using.


Why Most SMEs Get This Backwards (And Waste Money)


The marketing industry has trained business owners to think tactically first. You're constantly told you need:


  • A better website

  • More social media presence

  • Better SEO

  • Google Ads campaigns

  • More content


But without strategic foundations, you're essentially throwing money at solutions without understanding the problem.


It's like trying to fix a leaky roof by repainting the walls. You're busy, you're spending money, but you're not addressing the core issue.


Sun Tzu said "Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat." He wasn't talking about marketing, but he might as well have been.


The Strategic Foundation Your Business Actually Needs


Before you invest another penny in marketing tactics, you need to establish:


1. Deep Customer Understanding

  • Who are your best customers really?

  • What triggers them to buy?

  • What's their decision-making journey?

  • What are their real pain points (not what you think they are)?


2. Clear Value Proposition

  • What makes you meaningfully different?

  • Why should customers choose you over competitors?

  • What's your "only we" factor?


3. Strategic Messaging

  • What does your customer want to hear?

  • How do you communicate your difference clearly?

  • What language resonates with your target market?


4. Channel Strategy

  • Where are your customers actually looking?

  • Which channels align with your business goals?

  • How do you maximise ROI from limited resources?


When Tactics Actually Work (And Stop Wasting Your Money)


Don't get me wrong - tactical marketing is crucial. But it only works when it's built on strategic foundations.


When you have strategy first, your tactics become:


  • More focused - you're not trying to be everywhere

  • More effective - your messaging resonates

  • More efficient - you're investing in what actually works

  • More measurable - you can track what matters to your business


The Bottom Line for Growing SMEs


If you're a business owner frustrated that your marketing spend isn't delivering results, stop asking "what marketing tactics do I need?"


Start asking: "Do I understand my customers well enough to give them the right message through the right channels?"


Strategic marketing isn't about spending more money on marketing - it's about making the money you're already spending actually work.


Most SMEs are one strategic insight away from transforming their marketing effectiveness. The question is: are you brave enough to stop throwing money at tactics and start investing in strategy?


Ready to discover what strategic marketing could do for your business?


Book a complimentary Marketing Discovery Call to uncover the strategic gaps that might be costing you customers.


No tactics, no sales pitch - just strategic clarity about what's really holding your marketing back.



Your Marketing Department helps ambitious SMEs escape the tactical marketing trap through strategy-led growth. Because your business deserves marketing that actually works.

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