Marketing
For the founder with a good productorthe one nobody has heard of yet
2026
A Low Bar, Rarely Cleared
My daughter's job hunt showed me why 100 applications look identical. When everyone offers the same thing, being different is the low bar nobody clears.
The Small Print Won’t Save You
My new outdoor lights came without globes, and the box told me in tiny print. Small print solves the company's problem, not the customer's. It won't save you.
Don't Make Me Do Your Job
Cold emails that ask for a reply but do none of the work. A look at the worst pitches in my inbox and why lazy outreach shifts the effort onto you.
Patience in Silence
You shipped it and nothing happened. Silence isn't a verdict. People rarely go from discovery to decision in a straight line. Keep showing up with value.
Marketing Is Noticing
Most advertising is built to interrupt. There's another way. Notice what your customers need. You can't buy that kind of attention, you have to earn it.
2025
The Problem With Asterisks
Every asterisk on a form is a tollbooth. Required fields add friction before you've given anything. The goal isn't a perfect form. It's permission to start.
Meaningful Signals
"Game-changing" means nothing when the reviews look fake. People look past the polish for proof. The signals that can't be faked, and how to cultivate them.
The Age of Skepticism
Fake reviews, AI videos, paid studies. We've been burnt too often to trust marketing claims. Proof, honesty and guarantees are how you earn trust now.
2024
2023
Belts And Suspenders
Never wear a belt and suspenders at the same time. Plenty of marketing is the same, two activities doing one job. Cut the decoration and keep what works.
Marketing Isn’t Box Ticking
Instagram page, ads, blog, newsletter. Ticking every marketing box won't make your business grow. Success comes from stepping outside the box.
The Mere Suggestion
A coach picking their own child. An advisor holding the stocks they recommend. The mere suggestion of self-interest can taint even the most honest decision.
The Everlasting Charm of Content Marketing
Guinness and Michelin were doing content marketing a century ago. It isn't new, and today anyone can play on a shoestring budget.
This Page Is Intentionally Left Blank
Manuals print "this page is intentionally left blank" so readers don't worry. Your website needs the same clarity. Don't leave common questions unanswered.
I Can Hear You Laughing
Laugh tracks, busker hats, queues outside clubs. People feel safer following than going first. How to use social proof to show prospects they won't be first.
The Online Art of Reading Minds
Selling door to door, you can read the room. Online you can't. Anticipate every question and objection so your sales page answers them before they're asked.
What's it like?
New ideas are hard to explain in an elevator pitch. The shortcut is an analogy. If you want people to understand your business, tell them what it's like.
Counting Impressions vs Impressions That Count
Impressions tell you how often an ad was shown, not whether anyone saw it. Stop maximising impressions and focus on leaving one.
The Pop-up Paradox
Pop-ups collect emails and annoy almost everyone. If you care about your subscribers, offer something worth the interruption or get out of their way.
Turn “About Us” Into “Why Us?”
"About Us" is one of the most visited pages on any website. Most explain who you are but not why it matters. How to turn it into "Why Us?"
Your Free Consultation Is Not Free
A free consultation still costs prospects their time. Spell out exactly what they'll get from it, or all they'll see is the cost.
2022
The Positives of Negative Reviews
A one-star review hurts but it also helps people buy. A perfect five-star average looks fake. Embrace bad reviews. You won't look perfect, but you'll look real.
My Favourite Free Marketing Tools
The free marketing tools I still use to grow and manage a business, from project management to design. No affiliate links, just my favourites.
Why Most Websites Suck (And How To Fix Yours)
Most business websites explain what the company does, not who it helps and how. Make your website about your customer's problem, not about you.
The World's Most Famous Logos And What We Can Learn From Them
A great logo makes selling easier. Five of the world's most recognisable logos and the lessons small businesses can take from each.
Five Beautifully Simple Websites You Can Build in Minutes
Five simple, beautiful websites built in minutes, and the platforms used to make them. Stop planning and build a quick first draft of your idea.