Are You Marketing with a Fishing Hook… or Just Throwing a Net and Hoping for the Best?

Are You Marketing with a Fishing Hook… or Just Throwing a Net and Hoping for the Best?

May 25, 2023

Let’s talk about marketing — the thing every small business is doing… and half of them secretly hate.
Here’s the classic line I hear all the time:


“Yeah, we’re doing marketing. We’ve got some posts going out, boosted an ad last month, and we printed some flyers a while back.”
Cool. But here’s the question:


Where did your last 5 great clients actually come from?

Cue awkward silence.


Marketing Without a Plan Is Like Fishing Blindfolded

You can be doing all the things — posting daily, boosting ads, tweaking your website, handing out brochures at networking events…

But if you don’t know:

  • Who you're trying to reach
  • Where they actually are
  • What they care about
  • And whether your message is even landing…

Then you’re not marketing.

You’re just staying busy.

It’s like casting a giant net into the ocean with no idea what you’re trying to catch — or if there’s even anything in the water.


The Smart Way to Fish: Hook, Bait, Timing, and Location

Let’s flip the analogy.
Imagine walking down to the right fishing spot, at the right time of day, with the right bait and a sharp hook.
You know what you’re trying to catch.
You’ve chosen the tools for the job.
And when you cast — it’s on purpose.
That’s how smart marketing works.
It’s not about doing more — it’s about doing what works.
It’s about clarity over chaos.


Unfocused Marketing Doesn’t Just Waste Money — It Kills Momentum

Here’s what poor marketing really costs you:

  • Time spent chasing bad-fit leads
  • Money burnt on ads that go nowhere
  • Energy wasted rewriting content that never converts
  • Confidence knocked when no one responds

Meanwhile, the right customers are still out there — they just haven’t heard the right message in the right place.


The Moment Your Message Lands, Everything Changes

When your marketing speaks directly to the people you’re meant to serve:

  • They get it
  • They trust you
  • They’re more willing to pay
  • And they tell others

It’s not magic.
It’s alignment.

And when it happens, marketing starts to feel easier — not because you’re working harder, but because it’s finally working.


Want to See What’s Working and What’s Just Noise? Start Here:

Take 10 minutes and answer these 3 questions:

  1. Where do your best leads come from right now?
  2. How much time or money does it take to get one?
  3. Do they actually convert… or just enquire and disappear?



If your answers are fuzzy, don’t panic — that’s your signal to realign.
Because throwing content out randomly and calling it “strategy” is just expensive guessing.