In marketing, following the crowd often becomes a race to the bottom. Success lies in standing out—but that doesn’t mean jumping from strategy to strategy without focus. Instead, double down on what’s already working, refine it, and carefully experiment with new opportunities. The goal? Differentiate your brand in ways customers truly value.
Think Like an Investor
A larger business has more resources to spread around, so it can safely bet on multiple channels (think 70% on proven tactics, 30% on experiments). Smaller businesses, on the other hand, can’t spread themselves too thin. Once you have the basics covered—like a solid website and core messaging—choose one or two key acquisition strategies to master every 6-12 months. That kind of focus builds deep expertise fast.
Balancing Risk and Reward
Like investing, marketers must weigh short-term wins (e.g., quick paid campaigns) against long-term growth (e.g., search engine optimization or brand-building). The bigger you are, the more you can afford to diversify and mitigate risk. If your business is small, you’ll likely have to take bigger bets on new or emerging channels. Still, track everything and drop what isn’t working quickly.
“More, Better, New”
Alex Hormozi’s formula—More, Better, New—provides a solid roadmap:
- More: Can you do more of what already works?
- Better: Can you improve what you’re doing (e.g., better quality, segmentation, or targeting)?
- New: If neither “more” nor “better” is enough, test something new.
Play the Long Game
Keep an eye on where marketing trends are in their life cycle. What’s brand new today might be saturated tomorrow—and then become fresh again later. Ultimately, a consistent, customer-focused approach, backed by data, is your best differentiator. If you stay flexible and commit to ongoing learning, you’ll stand out in the market for the long haul.