What the Business Pros Know

Marketing Mistakes That Are Costing You Customers

March 3, 2025

Charles Bruce III

Marketing has the power to impact a business’s success significantly. However, even the most established brands can fall into common pitfalls that deter potential customers. Steering clear of these mistakes, whether you’re a small business owner or an experienced marketer, can enhance customer engagement and transform your marketing efforts into actual results.

Overcomplicating Your Message
A great brand message is clear, concise, and memorable. If customers don’t immediately understand what you offer or why it matters, they’ll move on. Avoid jargon, overly clever slogans, or trying to be everything to everyone. Instead, keep it simple: What problem do you solve? Why should people choose you?

Ignoring Customer Feedback
Your audience is telling you what they want — are you listening? Many businesses focus on pushing promotions without engaging with customer feedback. Negative reviews, complaints, or even low engagement rates are signals that something needs to change. Actively respond to feedback, adjust your messaging, and show customers they matter.

Focusing on Followers Instead of Conversions
It’s easy to get caught up in social media numbers, but thousands of followers mean nothing if they don’t convert into paying customers. Instead of chasing vanity metrics, focus on engagement, lead generation, and turning your audience into a community that trusts and supports your brand.

Skipping SEO
If people can’t find you online, they can’t buy from you. Many businesses underestimate the power of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), assuming it’s only for tech-savvy marketers. However, simple strategies, like optimizing website content with relevant keywords, using Google My Business, and ensuring your site loads quickly, can significantly increase your visibility without extra ad spend.

Forgetting to Track and Adjust
Marketing isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. If you’re not tracking your efforts, you’re wasting time and money. Using analytics for social media engagement, email open rates, or ad performance helps you understand what’s working and what’s not. Regularly review data and adjust your approach to make every marketing dollar count.

Not Giving Customers a Reason to Act
A well-designed ad or social post is useless if there’s no clear call to action (CTA); this might be something like “Shop Now,” “Book a Free Consultation,” or “Join Our Email List.” Your marketing should always guide customers to take the next step. Make it easy for them to move forward, and you’ll see better results.

Marketing mistakes are easy to make but just as easy to fix. By simplifying your message, engaging with customers, staying consistent, optimizing for search, tracking results, and using clear calls to action, you can build a strategy that attracts and retains loyal customers.

The key is to stay adaptable, because marketing is constantly evolving, and businesses that listen, learn, and adjust will come out ahead.

Charles Bruce is the Director of Client Relations with COMO Companies which owns COMO Marketing, COMO Magazine, and COMO Business Times. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and his MBA from the University of Dubuque. When Charles isn’t being the life of the party, he can be found climbing a large mountain. In December 2023 he climbed the Imja Tse mountain in Nepal.