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Thursday 31st July 2025

Hope Is Not A Marketing Strategy

Mon 9th Jun 2025

“I just hope it picks up soon.” 

“I’m hoping for a better month next month.” 

“I hope the sun comes out, so we get more footfall traffic.”

Hope? HOPE?! I’m sorry, but hope isn’t a strategy. It’s not even a plan.  

Hope isn’t a growth strategy – it’s procrastination wearing a motivational T-shirt.

And spoiler alert: that’s not how successful businesses are built.

Let’s get real for a minute. You wouldn’t walk into a high-noon duel with jazz hands, would you?  

So why run your business on hope? Out here, it’s the Wild West and doing nothing won’t stop the bullets fired by the HMRC wanting their money, as well as your suppliers. 

Hope Is Not A Marketing Strategy

Hope is passive. Strategy is active  

Hope says, “Maybe someone will find my website.”
Strategy says, “Let’s run targeted ads and optimise the bloody SEO.” 

Hope says, “Maybe someone will recommend me.”
Strategy says, “Let’s build a referral scheme and actually ask for reviews.” 

Hope waits. Strategy does something – even if it’s not the best thing – to keep things moving. 

If you’re sitting on your arse hoping this is the month things magically change, I’ve got news for you: that month won’t come unless you make it happen.  

Your competitors aren’t hoping. They’re doing. They’re out there shouting, selling, tweaking, testing, learning, failing, getting up and trying again.  

Not sure what you should be doing? Anything is better than nothing! Check out this eBook on simple marketing tips to treble your business. 

Stop blaming the weather, and the economy, and Trump, and everything else 

Ah yes, the good ol’ British fall-back. The weather. 

I get it. If you’ve got a bricks-and-mortar shop and it’s chucking it down, you’ll get fewer browsers. If you’re in tourism or hospitality, weather matters.  

But even then, what’s the plan if the weather doesn’t play ball? Are you going to close up shop and sulk? 

Or are you going to do something about it? Online promotions. Email campaigns. Loyalty schemes. Hell, just grab an umbrella and take leaflets to people in your town. Call people about partnerships. Teach yourself how to do iPhone videos. Go on LinkedIn and ask for help and ideas.  

Literally anything other than sitting there staring out the window with your ‘hope’.  

External stuff will always affect your business but they’re not an excuse to do nothing. They’re a signal to adapt, pivot, or punch harder. It’s definitely not gonna solve everything, but maybe explore our social media services or even Google Ads for when the world doesn’t co-operate.  

Hope doesn’t pay the bills. Action does 

Mindset matters. And not just in a woo-woo, tell the Universe what you want kind of way. I’m talking about a mindset that says: “This is my business. I’m in control. I’m not waiting for a bloody miracle.” 

Take action. Even if it’s scrappy. Even if it doesn’t work the first time.  

Action is where data comes from. Where lessons come from. Where growth comes from.  

No one built a thriving business by hoping. They showed up. They marketed consistently. They spoke to their audience. They tested stuff. They got comfortable with being uncomfortable. They upskilled. And they did it again the next day.  

Here’s what to do instead of hoping 

  • Review your marketing — what’s working, what’s just noise.
  • Talk to your audience — what do they need right now?
  • Sell something — seriously, make an offer today.
  • Stop hiding — post, email, go live, show your face.
  • Track results — don’t guess. Look at the damn data. 

Final word: You’re the magic

Hope is fine. Be positive. But it’s not going to put food on the table. You will. 

So, get out there and do something today that future-you will thank you for. 

Because “hope” won’t build your business, but you bloody well can. 

  

Want a marketing plan that’s more than just crossed fingers? Maybe you need a bit of 121 bespoke training to get you started? Let’s chat. Book a free clarity call. 

 


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