A Founder’s Guide to Finding Marketing Support That Actually Works
Your guide to finding meaningful marketing partnerships, what to look for, what to avoid, and how to recognise real value.
In a world overflowing with marketers, agencies, and polished portfolios, how do you know who to trust?
If you’ve ever been burned by vague promises, expensive retainers, or beautifully branded decks that led nowhere, you’re not alone. In fact, a recent survey found that over 67% of small business owners feel they’ve wasted money on marketing support that didn’t deliver (Skynova, 2023). Many spend thousands on freelancers or agencies before realising the root issue wasn’t execution…it was a lack of strategy.
In an industry where the line between real support and smoke and mirrors can be dangerously thin, this article is designed to help you navigate the landscape, so you can invest wisely, avoid common traps, and build the kind of marketing partnership that actually moves the needle.
1. What You Actually Need From Marketing (and Why Most Support Fails)
Let’s start with a reality check: ‘Marketing’ has become a catch-all term that now means everything and nothing.
But in reality, most founders don’t need “marketing”, they need clarity, consistency, and momentum. And that typically falls into three distinct categories:
A bulletproof brand strategy – Who are we? What do we stand for? How do we stand out? What makes us different?
A marketing engine that actually works – Website, social, content, email, CRM—all integrated, not siloed.
A solid growth plan – Campaigns, lead generation, partnerships, PR, and sales systems that drive traction.
Most freelancers or agencies do one of these well. Very few can bridge all three, and fewer still can do so while staying aligned with your brand’s soul, pace, and business model.
This is where things often start to unravel.
2. The Cost of Getting it Wrong - and the Simple Solution Most Avoid
Choosing the wrong marketing support isn’t just frustrating - it’s expensive.
A 2022 survey found that 67% of small business owners feel they’ve wasted money on marketing support that didn’t deliver results or return on investment. And up to 25% of outsourced partnerships fail within two years, often due to misalignment, poor communication, or unclear expectations.
And yet, this keeps happening.
Why? Because most founders are sold the what (a new website, some ads, a funnel), before they ever clarify the why. And I’ve seen it time and time again…by the time most of my clients find me, they’d already tried everything. They’d hired freelancers, retained agencies, and spent thousands on execution. But nothing was really working.
Nine times out of ten, the problem isn’t execution…it’s a simple lack of strategy.
The Big Myth: Strategy Is Slow, Expensive, and Abstract
One of the biggest misconceptions? That brand strategy has to be this long, complex, expensive process.
In reality, when done right, it’s the opposite:
Efficient
Energising
Immediately actionable
A few weeks of focused strategic work can save you months (even years) of wasted spend and half-hearted execution. It realigns the business and sharpens your decisions across the board.
This is why I always start with my tried and tested Brand Strategy Sprint. We start with your why, strengthen your positioning, go deep into your ideal target audience, and then build the messaging to speak directly to them. And my clients are always amazed at how quickly the results start to show as everything starts to click into place. Website visitors stay longer, ads start converting, and the founder starts regaining confidence.
3. Common Pitfalls (and How to Spot the Right Support Instead)
Over the years, I’ve seen founders fall into the same traps, regardless of budget, team size, or ambition. And they’re almost always avoidable.
Hiring too soon: Outsourcing before defining your positioning = wasted spend
Paying for strategy with no follow-through: You get a shiny deck but no results
Over-investing in retainers: Long-term fees without senior input or measurable ROI
Under-investing in quality: A $5K budget for brand and growth attracts the wrong providers
These decisions don’t just slow you down; they erode your confidence, confuse your team, and lead to fragmented messaging across your brand.
So, how do you find the right partner, someone who will actually move the needle?
Here’s what to look for instead:
✔ Do they ask strategic questions early on? A real partner won’t jump straight into deliverables—they’ll help you slow down and think smarter first.
✔ Can they articulate your value better than you can? If not, how will they help your audience get it?
✔ Do they understand your industry and audience nuance? This is especially important for wellness-led, boutique, or purpose-driven ventures.
✔ Can they zoom out (strategy) and zoom in (execution)? Great marketing lives in the balance between big-picture clarity and day-to-day traction.
✔ Do they bring energy, clarity, and momentum? You should leave meetings feeling clearer, not more confused.
The right partner should help you reconnect with your vision and then turn it into a message the world actually responds to.
4. Agencies, Freelancers, Strategists: What They’re Good For (And When to Use Them)
Let me be clear: agencies aren’t bad. They just aren’t always what you need. The same goes for freelancers and in-house hires. Each has a role, but understanding when and why to bring them in is what separates efficient businesses from bloated ones.
When an Agency is the right choice:
You need a high-volume, multi-channel campaign (e.g. paid ads, influencer outreach, PR)
You have an internal lead (or Fractional Executive) to brief, manage, and guide them
You already have a clear positioning and brand strategy
You want plug-and-play execution across multiple platforms
Watch out for:
Junior teams doing senior work (while partners stay on the pitch deck)
One-size-fits-all approaches
Poor nuance for soulful, boutique, or mission-led brands
Even global companies are rethinking how they use agencies - Bain reports a shift towards leaner, hybrid models with more senior-level input and flexible talent (Bain & Co.).
When a Freelancer is the right choice:
You need specific, tactical execution (e.g., a web developer, graphic designer, digital ads specialist)
You have a clear plan and someone to manage them
Budget is tight, and you need flexibility
Watch out for:
Lack of strategic direction - they’ll do what you ask, not what you need
Risk of misalignment without a unifying brand vision
Time spent managing, briefing, and course-correcting
When a Strategist or Fractional Executive is the right choice:
This is where I come in.
Founders often need someone to zoom out, see the full picture, and manage the entire department (whether internal, external, or a mix of both). Strategists or Fractional Executives (such as Fractional CMOs or Marketing Directors), are the ones to use when:
You’re growing, but things feel messy or misaligned
You want to refine your positioning, audience, and growth plan
You need both clarity and leadership, without hiring a full-time CMO
You want to scale in a way that’s soulful, intentional, and clear
Think of this as your bridge between vision and execution.
Each type of support plays a role. But hiring the wrong person, or at the wrong time, is what creates confusion, waste, and burnout.
The most sustainable growth comes from sequencing the right support, in the right order.
Which is exactly why I built a different model…
5. Why I Built a Different Model (And What Makes It Work)
I’m not an agency. I’m a Chartered Marketer and strategic partner who blends big-picture thinking with grounded, real-world support.
Being a Chartered Marketer means I’ve met the highest standards of professional excellence as set by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) - a distinction held by only 3000 worldwide. It reflects not only years of experience but also a commitment to continuous development, strategic integrity, and ethical practice.
What I offer:
Brand strategy – We’ll define your unique edge before we talk tactics.
Brand + business alignment – I don’t just make you look good; I help your business grow.
Fractional leadership – For founders who want senior thinking without full-time overhead.
Curated execution – I bring in specialists only when needed. No bloated teams or inflated fees.
In short, I build brands that grow with traction and soul.
7. Final Thoughts: Invest Where It Counts
Your marketing partner should be more than a service provider. They should be a thought partner, someone who doesn’t just understand your vision but believes in it and helps you communicate it to the world in a way that actually lands.
So whether you’re launching something new, evolving your brand, or finally ready to take growth seriously, invest in support that matches your ambition, values, and pace.
Ready to Grow With Clarity?
As a Chartered Marketer, I bring strategic depth, hands-on leadership, and a range of execution partners to help you build a brand that resonates, converts, and sustains.
If you're an ambitious founder of a boutique, wellness-led, or visionary venture, and are looking to take your brand to the next level and grow internationally, I’d love to hear from you.
Book a 30-minute discovery call below to explore whether we’re the right fit, or get in touch with me directly at info@bethanneandco.com.
