Why Marketing Fails Small Businesses (and How to Fix It)
Lessons from Fractional CMO Liz Papagni
Marketing can either drive serious growth—or become a black hole where money disappears and results never show up. If you’ve ever felt like you’re just “doing stuff” with no clear ROI, this conversation with Liz Papagni is a must-listen (or read).
With over 25 years of experience spanning corporate, agency, and entrepreneurial roles, Liz has seen what works—and what definitely doesn’t—when it comes to building a marketing engine that actually drives business growth.
Here are the top takeaways from our episode on The Ownership Advantage™ podcast:
1. What a Fractional CMO Actually Does (and Why You Might Need One)
Fractional CMO work is more than just outsourcing tasks. Liz explained it perfectly: you’re not hiring someone to run Facebook ads—you’re bringing in high-level strategy and leadership without the full-time salary. It’s especially valuable for small businesses that aren’t quite ready for a full-time CMO but still need strategic direction to scale.
“You get all the leadership and IP of a seasoned CMO—without the cost of a full-time executive.”
2. Marketing is Psychology—Not Just Promotion
Liz reminds us: marketing is about influencing behavior. It’s psychology meets messaging. And one wrong word can destroy the impact of your campaign.
“‘You could do this’ is very different than ‘you will do this.’ Words matter.”
3. Start With Strategy, Not Tactics
One of the biggest mistakes Liz sees? Business owners jumping straight into execution—ads, social media, email—without a clear plan. Her process starts with a full audit: business goals, customer personas, competitive landscape, and message-market fit. Only then does she move into campaigns.
“If we don’t know where we’re going, how do we know how we’re going to get there?”
4. Understand Your REAL Customers (Not Just Who You Think They Are)
Most businesses think they know their audience. But Liz says many are wrong. She digs into both the firmographics(industry, size, revenue) and psychographics (lifestyle, motivations, values) to build rich customer personas.
“They know the revenue. They know the industry. But they don’t know why their customer buys from them.”
5. Marketing & Sales Must Be Partners, Not Silos
Marketing warms the lead. Sales closes the deal. When those two aren’t talking, you waste leads, money, and time. A strong CRM and feedback loop between sales and marketing is what separates companies that scale from ones that stall.
“We build the top of the funnel. Sales closes the bottom. But we need each other to win.”
6. Personal Brand vs. Thought Leadership
They’re related, but not the same. A personal brand shows who you are. Thought leadership proves your value in the market. Ideally, business owners should develop both—because in today’s world, people Google YOU just as much as your business.
“If you’re not building thought leadership around what you do, you’re missing a huge opportunity to differentiate.”
7. Is AI Taking Over Marketing? Nope.
AI is a tool—not a replacement. It can speed things up, but Liz made it clear: emotion, storytelling, and human connection still drive the best marketing outcomes.
“ChatGPT can write facts. But it can’t create brand voice, emotion, or authenticity.”
Final Word:
Marketing isn’t just about “getting your name out there.” Done right, it becomes the growth engine of your business. But only if it’s built on strategy, fueled by data, and aligned with your sales team.
“Marketing is the emotional heartbeat of your company—it tells the world who you are, what you stand for, and why anyone should care.”
Want to Connect with Liz?
📞 Phone: 714-595-0963
📧 Email: lpapagni@mycmonow.com
🌐 Website: mycmonow.com