Don't Bring Me Solutions, Bring Me Problems

This is likely the opposite of everything you've been taught. But in marketing, it's true.

One of the most common misconceptions I encounter as a marketing leader is this: people treat marketing like a restaurant. They come in, scan the menu and place an order.

"I'll take a logo refresh, two videos and three Instagram posts by Friday."

But that's not how effective marketing works. That's how you waste money.

Marketing isn't about ordering deliverables. It's about solving problems. Real marketing strategy starts by identifying what's broken, missing or waiting to be built. What are we creating, fixing or promoting? And why does it matter?

If you don't know the problem, no amount of polished content or flashy ad spend will fix it. Without a clear diagnosis, you're just picking random dishes off a menu, hoping they add up to a Michelin-starred meal.

Start with the Pain, Not the Platform

Whether you're building brand awareness, launching a product or addressing a dip in customer engagement, the first question should always be: What's the actual challenge we're solving?

• Are customers confused about what you do?

• Are sales in a product vertical flat?

• Is your message inconsistent across channels?

• Is your content falling flat because it's not rooted in customer insights?

These are the raw ingredients your marketers need.

Trust the Experts to Build the Meal

Once you understand the problem, the real work starts. And this is where marketing leaders and strategists earn their keep.

You don't walk into a kitchen and tell the chef how to braise the lamb. You tell them you're hungry and trust them to design the meal. In marketing, once the problem is defined, the creative and strategic experts should lead the process of selecting the right platforms, channels, messaging hierarchy and timing.

That's how you get a four-course meal rather than a buffet of disconnected tactics.

What Happens When You Skip This Step?

If you jump straight to "I need a video" without knowing why, you'll end up with content that checks a box but does nothing to move your audience. You'll spend time and money without moving the needle on awareness, loyalty or conversion.

SEO-rich content? Wasted.

Paid campaigns? Inefficient.

Brand messaging? Watered down.

The Marketing Strategy That Works

Effective marketing balances data, storytelling, audience insights and strategic vision.

If you're working with a marketing team, don't hand them a menu order. Hand them a problem.

The more clearly you can name the challenge, the better the outcome. That’s how you move from a scattershot plate of requests to a strategic, cohesive, full-course meal designed to deliver impact.

Great marketing doesn’t come from ordering what looks good; it comes from trusting the experts to serve what works.