Marketing doesn't work (for you). Here's some possible reasons why.

Ever feel like your marketing just isn’t landing? You’ve tried the posts, the emails, the agencies, the shiny tools, but nothing sticks. Let’s be honest, the problem might not be marketing itself.

Throughout my career I've had Founders and CEOs tell me 'marketing doesn't work'. Why? Most of the time it's the attitude towards, and understanding of, marketing that holds it back.

Here are a few possible reasons why 'marketing doesn't work' for you.

You believe life’s a pitch

Imagine going on a first date and the other person instantly proposes. Bit weird, right? And if they then spend the whole evening talking about themselves; where they went to school, how much money they make, and their latest medical drama. You’d run a mile. Fast.

That’s how a lot of B2B marketing feels. Pitch after pitch after pitch. All about the company. Little about the customer. Nothing that builds intrigue, trust, or connection. All the things that lead to a second date and, eventually, something longer lasting and meaningful.

Good marketing talks about your customers first - their problems, ambitions, and headaches - and only then explains why you might be a good fit. That's when you make your move.

It’s all “me, me, me” with you

Good marketing isn’t about you, your product, or your features. It’s about your customers and how you make their lives better.

Nobody cares that you’re using AI (who isn’t?!), that your founder once met Steve Jobs, or that you’ve been around for 50 years. They care what it means for them.

If you’ve survived global recessions, pandemics and political chaos, don’t just say “we’ve been around a while”, say, “we know how to adapt when things change, so we’ll still be here when you need us.”

Golden rule: marketing isn’t for you or about you. It’s all for your customers.

You don’t believe patience is a virtue

Patience might not be fashionable, but it’s essential. Especially in B2B.

If you’re selling software or services worth tens (or hundreds) of thousands of pounds, no one’s buying after a single webinar or ad. With six to ten decision-makers in every deal, it takes time to build awareness, trust, and intent.

At any given moment, only 3–5% of your market is actually ready to buy. The rest are watching, learning, and forming opinions. Marketing’s job is to make sure they remember you when they are ready.

Keep showing up, because the momentum pays off. Just not tomorrow.

You treat agencies like suppliers, not partners

Switching agencies every six months? That’s not strategy, that’s speed-dating.

Agencies need time to understand your offer, audience, and goals. Treat them like outsiders and you’ll only get surface-level work. The best results happen when agencies feel like an extension of your team, working towards shared targets, using honest feedback loops.

And remember: if you’re slow to respond, you’ll lose the resource they’ve set aside for you, and the momentum that came with it. Partnership beats procurement every time.

When the sales well runs dry, you turn off the marketing tap

At the first signs of uncertainty or economic trouble, too many businesses cut marketing. And that’s damaging in the long term.

When competitors go quiet, that’s your chance to make noise. Staying visible, useful, and consistent through tougher times means you’ll be top of mind when the market rebounds. It’s how strong brands pull ahead; not by panicking, but by persisting.

But you “post on social media all the time”

Three sales posts, one “we’re delighted to be shortlisted”, a new hire announcement, and something about AI… That’s not a content strategy. That’s noise.

Ask yourself: what’s in it for your audience? If you’re not sharing something genuinely useful, funny, or insightful, they’ll keep scrolling. Share what only you can: insights, data, lessons learned, even a bit of humour. In B2B, personality goes a long way.

You have the attention span of a toddler

Some founders (and plenty of marketers) forget marketing isn’t about keeping you entertained.

Constantly changing your message, creative or strapline (or worse, redesigning your logo every two years! Yes, really…) only resets recognition. Consistency builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust.

By all means tweak and test, but if you overhaul everything every few months, you’ll just confuse your audience and undo your own progress.

In summary

These are just a few reasons why your marketing might not be working. There are plenty more, and I’ll explore those in the future.

If you’d like an honest look at what’s working, what’s not, and how to fix it, let’s talk. (I promise not to propose on the first call.)