The 7 Deadly Sins of Marketing: Are You Making These Costly Mistakes?
Glen Martin
Traffic Expert | Proven frameworks to grow profitable businesses with organic and paid media, unlocking potential in life and business.
“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” – Seth Godin
Welcome Back to The Traffic Hackers Newsletter!
Good morning! It’s Glen, and today I’m going deep into something every business needs to hear—the biggest marketing mistakes that are silently killing your results.
Even the best entrepreneurs and business owners fall into these traps. The scary part? You might not even realize you’re making these mistakes.
If you want to drive more leads, more sales, and more engagement in 2025, it’s time to stop these deadly sins and start marketing smarter. Let’s dive in!
The 7 Deadly Sins of Marketing (And How to Fix Them)
1. Ignoring the Power of Storytelling
?? Sin: You’re selling products instead of selling stories.
People don’t buy products—they buy stories, transformations, and experiences. If your marketing is just listing features, you’re losing your audience.
? Fix it: Use storytelling in your marketing. Instead of saying, “We offer expert social media management,” say, “Our client doubled their engagement in 60 days—here’s how.”
2. Talking About Yourself Too Much
?? Sin: Your marketing is “me, me, me” instead of “you, you, you.”
Nobody cares about your company’s awards or how long you’ve been in business. They care about how you can solve their problems.
? Fix it: Audit your website, emails, and ads. Rewrite every sentence to focus on the customer. Instead of, “We have 20 years of experience,” say, “You’ll get expert guidance from seasoned professionals.”
3. Using Weak Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
?? Sin: You’re not telling people what to do next.
Ever see an ad that says, “Check out our website” or “Learn more”? That’s a weak CTA. Your audience needs clear direction, urgency, and a reason to act now.
? Fix it: Use powerful CTAs like: ?? “Download Your Free Guide Now” ?? “Claim Your Spot—Only 3 Left!” ?? “Book Your Free Strategy Call Today”
4. Trying to Be Everywhere Instead of Owning One Channel
?? Sin: You’re spreading yourself too thin.
Too many businesses waste time half-committing to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and email marketing—all at once. Instead of doing everything poorly, dominate one or two channels first.
? Fix it: Pick one primary platform and go all in. Are your customers on LinkedIn? Double down there. Running a product-based business? Focus on Instagram and TikTok.
5. Ignoring the Importance of Retargeting
?? Sin: You’re letting warm leads slip away.
Most visitors won’t buy the first time they see your website. If you’re not running retargeting ads, you’re leaving money on the table.
? Fix it: Use Facebook Pixel, Google Ads retargeting, or LinkedIn remarketing to bring visitors back. Run special offers to people who’ve already engaged with your brand.
6. Overcomplicating Your Messaging
?? Sin: You’re making people work too hard to understand what you do.
If a potential customer has to “figure out” what you offer, they’ll leave. The best marketing is crystal clear.
? Fix it: Simplify your messaging using this formula:
1?? What problem do you solve?
2?? How do you solve it?
3?? What’s the next step?
Example:
?? Before: “We offer cutting-edge AI-powered automation solutions to streamline workflow efficiencies.”
? After: “We help businesses save 10+ hours a week with easy-to-use automation.”
7. Ignoring the Data and Making Decisions on Gut Feel
?? Sin: You’re guessing instead of testing.
Too many businesses assume they know what works instead of looking at the numbers. If you’re not tracking ad performance, email open rates, or website traffic, you’re making blind decisions.
? Fix it:
?? Use Google Analytics for website data.
?? Monitor LinkedIn & Facebook Ad metrics.
?? A/B test emails, headlines, funnels, and CTAs to see what actually works.
Tool of the Week: Hotjar
Want to see exactly how people interact with your website? Hotjar records visitor sessions and heatmaps so you can spot where users are getting stuck—and optimize accordingly.
Quick Fixes to Supercharge Your Marketing Right Now
?? Audit your website and remove any fluff or jargon.
?? Create a clear, action-driven CTA for every campaign.
?? Choose ONE platform to focus on and commit to it for 90 days.
?? Set up retargeting ads for lost leads.
?? Start testing headlines, ad copy, and emails instead of guessing.
Ask Glen:
Q: How do I know if my messaging is too complicated?
A: Give it the “5-second test.” Show your website or ad to someone who isn’t in your industry and ask, “What do we do?” If they hesitate or get confused, simplify it.
Ready to Take Action?
Go through this list and fix at least ONE marketing mistake this week. Small tweaks can lead to massive improvements in conversions, engagement, and sales.
Let me know which “deadly sin” you’ve been guilty of—I’d love to hear how you’re making changes!
Here’s to smarter, simpler, and more effective marketing,
Glen Martin
I help auditors become awesome | Audit Trainer & Keynote Speaker | 2023 Internal Audit Beacon award recipient
2 周Yes. Small tweaks can equal big results.
Great breakdown! Just like in negotiation, success in marketing comes down to clarity, strategy, and knowing how to ask the right questions.?
Founder, CEO @ Propped | Giving Companies Full Access to Over 300M+ B2B Leads | Account Executive @ Paragon Digital
2 周What's everyone's take on LinkedIn posts? Been trying to grow there but it feels like everyone's just humble bragging about their success...
SEO Specialist
2 周This is gold! Though I'd add an 8th sin: not having a clear target audience. Trying to appeal to everyone = appealing to no one.
We create decks that help you sell | MSEL candidate at Babson College | Textiles | I talk Businesses and Startups | Angel Investor
2 周Great advice! Though I'd argue some businesses DO need to be on multiple platforms. Our retail clients get different audiences on each one.