This week, I had the pleasure of attending the first activ Marketing Strategy Retreat, hosted by our fantastic franchise partner, Lou Eddy, in Basingstoke. Spending the day with a group of driven business owners, I had the opportunity to be a guest speaker, sharing insights on aligning business goals with marketing strategy and the power of personal branding.
The experience reinforced something I already knew but was reminded of in full force: so many business owners are brilliant at what they do but struggle with marketing. And without a clear marketing strategy, even the best businesses can find themselves lost, frustrated, and overwhelmed.
Here are my five biggest takeaways from the retreat:
1. Business Owners Excel at Their Niche – But Not Marketing
Most business owners are incredibly skilled in their own field – whether they run a consultancy, a product-based business, or a service-driven company. That’s why they started their business in the first place! But marketing is a different skillset altogether, and many simply don’t know where to start. They try bits and pieces, throw money at ads, or post sporadically on social media, but without a solid strategy, results are patchy at best. Knowing your craft and knowing how to market it are two very different things, and recognising this is the first step toward real growth.
2. Many Business Owners Don’t Have a Business Plan
A surprising number of business owners admitted that they don’t actually have a structured business plan. Not because they don’t want one, but because they’re caught up in the day-to-day grind of running their business. They’re so focused on client work, admin, and just ‘keeping things going’ that they never step back to plan for the future. Without clear business goals, aligning marketing efforts becomes impossible – and that’s when businesses find themselves stuck, treading water instead of growing.
3. Content Creation is a Struggle – Because They Don’t Know What to Say
One of the most common frustrations I heard at the retreat was that business owners know they need to put content out there, but they have no idea what to post or how to approach it. Some post randomly when they ‘feel like it,’ others copy what competitors are doing, and many simply avoid it altogether. But content should never be random. Every piece – whether it’s a blog, a social media post, an email, or a video – should tie into a wider strategy that supports business goals. Without this foundation, content becomes just another box to tick, instead of a powerful tool for growth.
4. A Lack of Confidence Stops Them from Showcasing Their Wins
Many business owners feel uncomfortable talking about their successes, fearing it might come across as boastful. But personal and business branding isn’t about saying ‘look at me’ – it’s about adding value to the right audience by sharing experiences, knowledge, and insights. The most successful brands connect with their ideal customers by being open, relatable, and informative. If you’re not showcasing what makes you (and your business) great, how will your ideal clients ever find you?
5. Overwhelm Leads to Inconsistent, Scattergun Marketing
Marketing is often seen as a chore, something to be squeezed in between ‘real’ work. As a result, it’s approached in a scattergun, inconsistent way, or worse – avoided altogether. When business owners feel overwhelmed by marketing, they either overthink every step, leading to bottlenecks, or they ignore it until it becomes a last-minute panic. Either way, this leads to missed opportunities, wasted time, and frustration.
The Solution? Stop Struggling and Start Outsourcing
The good news? It doesn’t have to be this way. The smartest business owners focus on their strengths – the work they love and excel at – and outsource the things that hold them back. Marketing isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s the key to sustainable business growth. When done properly, it can generate leads, build brand authority, and create a consistent pipeline of opportunities. But for that to happen, it needs to be strategic, structured, and executed by people who know what they’re doing.
Trying to ‘wing it’ with marketing isn’t just ineffective – it’s short-sighted. If business owners truly want to scale, they need to shift their mindset. Invest in strategy. Get expert guidance. And most importantly, stop trying to do it all alone.
The activ Marketing Strategy Retreat was a powerful reminder of just how much impact the right support can have. And this is just the beginning – I can’t wait to see how these business owners implement what they’ve learned and take their marketing (and their businesses) to the next level!
If you need help with your marketing why not book in a free consultation and we can work through your business!? Or drop me an email if you or your team could benefit from a marketing strategy retreat of your own!
