The kettle’s boiled. You’ve picked your favourite mug. The tea’s brewed to perfection. You’ve added in the perfect amount of milk. Now for the best bit. . .the biscuit tin.
In your head, you’ve already picked out what you’re having. Maybe a chocolate digestive, something chunky and satisfying. Or perhaps a Custard Cream, because sometimes only nostalgia will do. A Bourbon, if you’re feeling classic.
You lift the lid, ready for that first dunk. . . and what do you find? Crumbs. A few stale Rich Tea quarters hiding in the corner. Not a single treat in sight.
When your marketing isn’t working
That sinking feeling – it’s exactly what happens when your small business marketing efforts aren’t converting into customers or growing your email list. You’ve made the effort, set everything up, put the time in, and the return is underwhelming at best. Instead of the satisfaction of a good dunk, you’re left disappointed, wondering why you even bothered boiling the kettle.
Just like a biscuit tin, your marketing doesn’t need a complete update every time. A few smart tweaks and some fresh ideas can fix your marketing, and suddenly the effort feels worth it again. Here are five of the biggest signs that your marketing isn’t working – the kind of common marketing mistakes that trip up most small businesses – and some quick fixes to get you back to dunking happily again!
You’re panic posting (aka raiding the cupboards for anything sweet)
Sign: You’re chucking out social posts just because you think you should – the equivalent of grabbing one of those stale Rich Tea because it’s the only thing left.
Fix: Plan three themes and your focus for the month (customer story, product insight, behind-the-scenes & what you want to sell). That way, you’ve always got something fresh in the tin and a more consistent marketing strategy for product businesses.
Your website isn’t tempting (aka the stale Rich Tea that no one wants)
Sign: People arrive on your website, take one look, and leave faster than you’d eat a kid’s size pack of Party Rings.
Fix: Give you homepage a refresh by updating your headline so it’s clear what you sell and why it matters in under five seconds. Add a call to action that’s as inviting as a chocolate Hobnob.
Do you want help with your marketing strategy? Download my free strategy toolkit to stop panic posting and start planning.
You’re talking to everyone (aka mystery biscuits in the tin)
Sign: Your message is so vague it could be aimed at anyone – the unloved garibaldi at the bottom nobody actually wanted.
Fix: Be specific. “Lunchbox fillers for busy parents” is a Custard Cream, right? — instantly recognisable, instantly appealing to the right person.
Your emails are being ignored (aka the biscuit packet no one bothers to open)
Sign: You write and send newsletters to your subscribers, but no one opens them – like a pack of Nice biscuits left unopened because no one’s convinced they are, in fact, nice.
Fix: Check your audience still want to hear from you. Then test your subject lines. Keep them short, human, and irresistible. Think more “Jammy Dodger” than “plain shortbread.”
Your sales are hit and miss (aka feast or famine in the tin)
Sign: Some days you’ve got loads of Hobnobs, other days it’s just crumbs. Sales feel random, not repeatable or sustainable.
Fix: Track where they come from. Was it Instagram, email, or a stockist? Once you know, you can keep topping up the tin with what works.
Easy fixes so you can dunk happily
The disappointment of an empty biscuit tin is real – and so is the frustration of marketing that doesn’t work. But unlike waiting for your next shopping trip, you can fix these issues today. In my free Strategy Toolkit, you’ll get the exact templates and frameworks I use with clients to fix your marketing, avoid those easy marketing mistakes, and turn your small business strategy from stale Rich Tea into irresistible Hobnobs.
