The opinions expressed by Entrepreneur authors are their very own.
The other day I read something that lit my brain on fire: “Stop making commercials, start making art.” That was the moment I ran out of microphone.
I assumed about this content disaster we discover ourselves in. Artificial intelligence has opened the floodgates for mass marketing content. Sales presentations, blogs and social media posts in seconds – all with one click of an “easy” button. Don’t like the way something sounds? Ask him to copy the copy in a different tone of voice. This ability has led many to consider that because we “can” create this fashion, we “should”. It’s easier. It’s cheaper. It is more efficient. I understand the hype. But I want to zoom out and look at the greater picture.
Many of our major social media platforms already offer ad-free options if you don’t plan to. Streaming services offer ad-free subscriptions. Almost universally, marketing research indicates that buyers are extremely uninterested in promoting. I hear all of it the time from marketers and clients: “I just need to post more on Instagram,” “I need a bigger advertising budget,” and “I need more X.” More, more, more. Do we actually need more? Or possibly we actually need less?
Let’s take off our hats as marketers and business owners for a moment and put on our customers’ shoes. It is estimated that the average consumer receives over 10,000 marketing messages per day. Do they really want “more” news? More content? More marketing? NO. So what do they want? What would be good for them? Instead of More, possibly higher?
Instead of posting something lame and “salesy” on Instagram every day, what if you posted something absolutely amazing and invaluable once a week? Instead of publishing 10 ChatGPT-generated and Search engine marketing-optimized blogs every month, what if you focused on creating one thing that was so creative and meaningful to your audience that they couldn’t wait to read it and share it with your pals?
Personal Opinion: We have overlooked the tenet of selling. The thing that can almost definitely make consumers want to buy from you is this provide a value first. That’s why coupon codes work in retail and why downloads and free consultations work so well for service-based businesses.
Before we ask for a sale, we offer something useful. Are 10 AI-generated blogs invaluable to a potential client? Or is it one great, well-thought-out, well-researched guide that gives latest insights? Which of them seems more invaluable to you?
I want to advise that we start doing this less with our marketing. Stop pushing content just to push content. Hold those client shoes. Ask, “Would this make a difference to me/would it provide value?” If the answer is no, go back to the drafting board and find something that can do it. Focus on quality, not quantity. Your customers are smart; let’s respect them and their time and bandwidth by giving our marketing meaning and substance. Stop trying to “hack the system” or find shortcuts. There is no shortcut to great marketing, just like there is no shortcut to great art.
One of the best artists of our time was Picasso. Can you imagine expecting him to create a latest image and post it on his Instagram every day? He would be exhausted. Work would suck. He would only create to sustain with the algorithm, not for the joy of making something meaningful.
How many of you have felt aversion to brands that were too pushy or too salesy? Or what about those pieces of content that you actually took the time to read that were clearly written by a robot and were generic and just a waste of time? Stop doing this. Get off the hamster wheel and start having original thoughts again. Some of the best advice I ever received was from my marketing colleague, Sarah Feeney, who told me (referring to branding), “If you want to be cool, To be great.” Is your brand smart and revolutionary? To be smart and revolutionary. Publish content that is intelligent and revolutionary. Is your brand fun and exciting? To be fun and exciting.
Your marketing should matter – not only to you, but also to your customers. They are the reason you are here. They are smart. They are exhausted. They want something higher from you than the same thing they see all over the place else.
Great marketing is about creating a true connection with your customers. This is not a one-sided megaphone encouraging people to “BUY NOW”. Nobody wants that. They want to feel that they are essential to you. Make them matter by moving beyond your current digital marketing field and going back to the creative drafting board.
Identify those cool, amazing, wonderful things you wanted to do but felt too scared or busy to do. Make them your priority. Stop focusing on the next viral moment and set the bar for creating real, authentic connections and impact. First of all, stop thinking like a marketer and start thinking like a customer.