Are You Marketing Too Much—or Too Little? Let's dive in.

73% of biz owners aren’t confident in their marketing efforts. Let's change that.

At Artsy-Preneur.com, we are so passionate about marketing that it’s really a big conversation around here! But when we researched sentiments among small business owners, we found that most entrepreneurs feel overwhelmed with marketing, Forbes reported. And can you believe it? 73% aren’t confident that their current strategy is contributing to their business goals. We aim to change that.

Some of the most clarifying questions entrepreneurs can ask are: What is my marketing plan? Am I spending too much time and money on marketing, risking capital without building meaningful connections or results? Or am I spending too little effort and resources, leaving my amazing products or services unnoticed?

As you dive into these questions, here’s how to tell where you are — and how to find the marketing sweet spot.

Too Much Marketing

• Paid customer acquisition isn’t sticking. If you’re pouring money into ads, campaigns, or influencer partnerships but not seeing organic traction or community growth, it’s a red flag. Paying for customers is expensive, and if your audience isn’t naturally engaging with your brand, it’s time to step back. Ask: Why isn’t my product gaining traction organically?

Reducing ad spend can be liberating. It forces you to get ultra-creative, deepen connections, and truly understand your audience through conversation and engagement. Sometimes the most sustainable growth comes not from spending more, but from listening more.

• Platform-itis. Are you tracking engagement across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, newsletters, and in-person events — only to find no one channel is performing? That’s platform-itis.

Focus where it counts:

• If your strength is for longform, storytelling video → YouTube

• Quick, viral, visual content → TikTok or Instagram Reels

• Direct, personal engagement → Email lists, networking events, conferences

Your marketing should reflect how you and your team like to communicate and how your audience wants to engage. Remember: connection, not volume, drives growth. 

On the other hand, there’s too little marketing. Let’s look at some of the signs and solutions.

Too Little Marketing

• Crickets mean opportunity. You’ve done your focus groups, surveys, and testing, and your business offering is an absolute hero. But if your marketing is quiet and your products aren’t reaching the right people, it might be a sign you’re underinvesting in creative promotion. Even if you know your product is a winner, small efforts won’t get traction.

What this looks like:

• Minimal social media presence

• Lack of email campaigns or follow-ups

• Poor brand visuals that don’t clearly communicate the value of your product

Think about this: how many incredible services have you heard of but didn’t feel drawn to because the branding didn’t convey the problem it solves? Marketing is targeted, creative engagement — it’s sharing value proposition, problem-solving, and many times, emotion.

So ask yourself these questions:

• Do I have a customer engagement strategy?

• Are my emails going out consistently?

• Am I capturing customer information at the right touch points?

• Am I asking for feedback, surveys, or reviews?

The goal is to keep your audience well-nurtured, creating a loop of engagement that supersedes business goals and moves into the ultimate goal of human uplift and wellbeing. 

Finding Your Marketing Sweet Spot

The sweet spot is a mix of formula and ingenuity, a balance of strategic planning, investment, creativity, and spontaneous expression. 

• Go guerrilla and unleash your creativity. Use unconventional, high-impact, low-cost strategies to capture your audience’s attention and build excitement around your brand.

• Spend enough to create visibility, but let organic engagement validate your approach.

• Focus on the channels where your audience naturally congregates and where your style shines, whether that’s social media, email, video, or in-person events.

• Ensure your brand visuals, story, and messaging reflect the value you provide, making it clear why your product or service matters and how it solves real problems.

• Prioritize existing customers and community engagement alongside new customer acquisition, keeping your audience excited, connected, and invested.

When done steadily, marketing stops being a stressful “push” and becomes a dynamic conversation with your audience. That’s when your products gain traction, your brand grows organically, and your community becomes your strongest marketing engine.

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