Why Traditional Marketing Fails (And What to Do Instead)
The Great Marketing Misconception
Spend five minutes scrolling through marketing advice online, and you’ll start to believe that success is all about running ads and optimizing return on ad spend (ROAS). The playbook seems simple:
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Find people already searching for your product.
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Target them with ads.
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Measure conversion rates.
And sometimes, that is appropriate. But there is more to it than that (or, there SHOULD be).
You see - what I just described is demand capture - not pure marketing.
It’s like showing up at the finish line of a marathon and claiming you ran the whole race. Sure, you’re there for the conversion, but you missed the entire customer journey.
Why This Fails for Most Brands
Let’s take an example.
Imagine launching a baby carrier designed specifically for dads (which I am doing later this year, subject to closing our seed round…watch this space) If you follow the conventional marketing playbook, you’d immediately run Meta ads targeting people actively searching for baby carriers.
And you’d fail. Or at least…it wouldn’t go as well as it could
Why? Because most dads don’t even know a dad-specific baby carrier exists. There’s no demand to capture yet. Your job isn’t just to sell… it’s to create demand in the first place.
The CE(M)O Mindset: How Real Marketing Works
If you’re running an ecom business, you need to think like a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)—even if your title says CEO. Here’s how:
1. Tell a Story That Sticks
Features and benefits are important, but they don’t create emotion. People remember stories.
Peloton didn’t just sell an exercise bike; they sold the feeling of being part of a fitness community. Nike doesn’t just sell shoes; they sell empowerment. Your brand needs a narrative that makes people feel something—curiosity, aspiration, belonging.
2. Build a Community Around Your Brand
The best marketing doesn’t just broadcast—it creates CONVERSATION.
Think about the ecom brands that thrive. Beard Brand, Ridge, Primal Queen… they don’t just have customers; they have tribes. Their communities do more marketing than any ad campaign ever could.
If you want long-term success, your goal isn’t only selling a product -it’s building a movement.
3. See Customer Experience as Marketing
Every interaction a customer has with your brand is marketing:
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That email confirmation after they buy? Marketing.
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The way your packaging looks when they open it? Marketing.
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How does your team respond to support questions? Marketing.
When customers have a remarkable experience, they tell others. That word-of-mouth creates built-in trust, and the cycle repeats. This is how you build momentum - a marketing flywheel that keeps growing.
What It Means to Be a “Marketing-First” Business
When I say I run a marketing-first business, I mean that every decision is made through a marketing lens. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to tell a story, create connection, and build demand.
That means:
✅ Understanding Your Customers on a Deep Level
Not just their age, gender, and income. You need to know:
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What keeps them up at night?
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What makes them laugh?
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What do they wish they could change about their life?
When you understand your customers like this, you can market to them in a way that feels personal—not transactional.
✅ Playing the Long and Short Game
Yes, we all need sales today. But if you only focus on the 3% of people ready to buy right now, you’re ignoring the 97% who will be in-market eventually.
Great brands build awareness before the sale. They nurture relationships so that when customers are ready, they’re the obvious choice.
✅ Making People Feel Something About Your Brand
Most markets are crowded. Competing on features alone won’t cut it.
People buy from brands they connect with emotionally. They want to be part of something bigger than just another transaction. That’s why brands with strong identities - like Patagonia, win.
The Key Takeaway: Stop Just Capturing Demand. Start Creating It.
If you feel stuck at a growth ceiling, this might be why.
You’ve maxed out your ability to capture existing demand - but you haven’t created new demand.
Marketing isn’t just about fighting for slices of an existing pie. It’s about baking an entirely new pie.
Your CE(M)O Challenge: Shift Your Mindset
Break free from the tactical treadmill of just running ads and optimizing conversions. Start asking bigger questions:
❓ How are we making people feel?
❓ What story are we telling beyond features and benefits?
❓ How do we create demand where it doesn’t yet exist?
When you think like a CE(M)O, growth ceilings start to crack. Instead of fighting over the same customers as your competitors, you’re bringing in entirely new customers who didn’t even know they needed you - until now.
Now go build something REMARKABLE.
Want more? Every week I send a ‘not news’ letter. It’s not the news. These are my thoughts on everything ecom and brand building. Get it here - https://benleonard.kit.com/