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Choosing the Right Marketing Tools

Week Three: Choosing the Right Marketing Tools (Not All of Them)


More Marketing Tools Don’t Mean Better Marketing


One of the biggest mistakes small businesses make is assuming:


“If I just add more marketing, something will work.”

That mindset burns budgets fast.


Billboards, radio, social media, websites, digital ads — they all work. None of them are broken, but they don’t all work for every business.


Marketing only works when the tool matches the customer.


A Simple Principle Before We Go Further


A story often shared in marketing circles involves Lamborghini. The quote is usually paraphrased like this:


“We don’t advertise on television because our customers aren’t watching television.”

Whether the wording is exact or not, the lesson is rock solid.


The goal of marketing is not to be everywhere. The goal is to be where your customer already is.


The Main Marketing Tools (And What They’re Actually Good At)


Billboards: Awareness and Repetition


Billboards are not designed to explain your business. They are designed to make your name familiar.


Billboards work best when:

  • You serve a broad local audience

  • Your message is simple

  • Repetition matters


They are great for:

  • Restaurants

  • Retail

  • Events

  • Local brands building recognition


They struggle when:

  • The message is complicated

  • You need an immediate response

  • The audience is very niche


Think of a billboard as a reminder, not a salesperson


Radio: Trust and Familiarity


Radio works because it’s human.


It works best when:

  • Your audience drives regularly

  • Trust matters more than urgency

  • You want to sound familiar, not flashy


Radio is strong for:

  • Local service businesses

  • Healthcare

  • Churches and nonprofits

  • Community-focused brands


Radio builds comfort. Comfort builds trust.


Social Media: Relationship Before Revenue


Social media is often misunderstood.


It works best when:

  • You show up consistently

  • You educate, entertain, or relate

  • You don’t expect instant sales


Social media is great for:

  • Staying top-of-mind

  • Showing personality

  • Behind-the-scenes content

  • Reinforcing trust


It fails when it’s treated like a digital flyer rack.

Social media is a conversation, not a billboard


Websites and Search: The Decision Point


Your website is rarely how people discover you first.


It’s where they go to answer:


“Do I trust this business?”

A good website should clearly answer:

  • What do you do?

  • Who is it for?

  • What should I do next?


If people are confused, they leave. Clarity converts better than design.


How to Decide What’s Right for Your Business


You don’t need fancy software. You need patterns.


Ask yourself:

  • How do most customers find us right now?

  • What do they say before buying?

  • Are they driving, scrolling, searching, or asking friends?


Then ask customers directly:


“What made you reach out to us?”

You’ll start seeing trends very quickly.


A Simple Rule of Thumb


If your customer:


  • Drives a lot → radio, billboards

  • Scrolls a lot → social media

  • Research first → website, search

  • Relies on others → referrals and community presence


You don’t need all of them. You need the right one, done consistently.


One Action for Week Three


This week:

  • Identify your top one or two marketing channels

  • Pause anything that doesn’t match your customer behavior

  • Commit to consistency instead of variety


More tools don’t fix bad focus.


Final Thought for Week Three


Marketing isn’t about shouting louder. It’s about showing up where it matters.


Be present - Be consistent - Be clear



 
 
 

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