Marketing defined: Why it’s the glue holding businesses together
Marketing isn’t one thing - it’s whatever your business needs it to be. If that sounds vague, that’s okay: the right marketing is tailored, practical, and rooted in your business goals.
The mystery at the heart of the business
When I started in marketing, people would shrug and say, “Oh, marketing will sort that”. Over the years I’ve been asked to do everything from PR and events to data analysis, product thinking and IT procurement. That’s because marketing often sits where things don’t fit neatly elsewhere - and that’s not a failing, it’s a strength.
For many businesses, especially smaller ones, marketing becomes the central cog: the team that sees the whole machine, spots where things grind, and helps oil the parts so the business runs smoother. Marketing is about creating, communicating and delivering value to a customer, but how that looks day-to-day depends on your people, your product and your priorities.
Why ‘one-size’ doesn’t work and what does
Here’s the honest bit: no single person can be a full expert at every strand of marketing, and no single template will suit every business. Some firms need creative storytelling and brand work; others need hard-nosed data and automation to scale. The trick is to understand the principles - customer, proposition, channels, measurement - and then bring in the right specialists to deliver them in harmony.
Crucially, marketing must not operate in a silo
When marketing is isolated from sales, product, customer service, operations or finance, you lose context, slow decisions and duplicated effort. The best marketing happens cross functionally: product teams feeding insight into campaigns; customer service highlighting recurring issues that shape messaging; sales sharing what objections they hear so comms can address them. When marketing works across the business, it becomes the glue that joins strategy to delivery.
Technology helps. Automation and AI are making it easier for people to bridge skill gaps: a great writer can produce polished assets without waiting days for a designer; analytics tools can guide where to spend time and where to stop. But tools don’t replace strategy. Processes, clarity of roles and a joined-up plan are what turn activity into results.
Why a fresh pair of eyes helps
For many SMEs, the challenge isn’t a lack of care - it’s a lack of time or resources to step back and see the whole picture. Teams get busy, departments drift into their own ways of working, and marketing ends up firefighting rather than steering.
I hear many business owners say they need help with marketing so they can “get on with the day job.” What do they mean by the day job actually - selling, setting strategy, serving customers, or simply keeping the lights on? Often what they really mean is they want marketing to hum away in the background: predictable, joined up and self‑managing so they can focus on revenue and growth.
A short, practical review can change that. I’d recommend it to look at how your marketing connects with the rest of the business, tidy up processes, and make technology work for you rather than against you. The outcome is simple: less duplication, clearer ownership, faster decisions and marketing that actually moves the needle.
Shall we take a look at your business together?
If you’re questioning whether your marketing is doing the right job, we can help. Our honest review reveals quick wins and a clear plan - from smarter use of data to sharper messaging and scalable processes. Let’s shape a practical roadmap that moves the needle.
