What is the biggest mistake in marketing?

In the first two articles, we talked about why marketing matters and how to do marketing even with a limited budget. This time, let's talk about something else:

What is the biggest mistake in marketing?

The biggest mistake: losing momentum too quickly.

Many people approach marketing like this:

Today, they suddenly feel inspired and post something on Xiaohongshu. It doesn't get much attention, so they give up. The next day, they hear that paid ads work, spend a few hundred ringgit on advertising, see no immediate results, and give up again.
 

The truth is, marketing is not something that delivers results overnight. It's like planting a tree. You can't expect it to grow tall the next day after planting it. It needs watering, fertilizing, and time.
 

Those brands or accounts that seem to have "suddenly gone viral" are often backed by months, or even years, of consistent effort behind the scenes.
 

That's why the first principle of marketing is this:

Choose the right direction, and stay committed to it.

The second mistake: trying to do everything at once.

Some companies approach marketing this way: today they're on Xiaohongshu, tomorrow they're on TikTok, the day after they're doing livestreams, and then they're participating in exhibitions.
 

They do everything, but never go deep enough into any one strategy.
 

The result?

They spend money, exhaust their team, and still don't see meaningful results.
 

Marketing isn't about doing more. It's about doing the right things.

Instead of spreading your effort across ten different directions, focus all your energy on one. Mastering one platform is far more effective than having a weak presence on ten different platforms.
 

That's why the second principle of marketing is this:

Focus your resources and dominate one channel before expanding.


The third mistake: focusing only on short-term results.

"I ran ads today. Why haven't I made any sales yet?"

This is one of the most common questions business owners ask.

But marketing is different from sales.
 

Sales can generate immediate results — you make a call today, and you might close a deal today.
 

Marketing, however, is about planting seeds today and harvesting the results later.
 

When customers see your brand for the first time, they rarely buy immediately. They may need to encounter your brand a second, third, or even fifth time before they start thinking:

"I've seen this brand quite often. Maybe they're trustworthy."

Trust takes time to build.

That's why the third principle of marketing is this:

Be patient and think long term.


To sum it up, the three biggest mistakes in marketing are:

• Losing momentum after a short period of time
• Trying to do everything at once
• Focusing only on short-term outcomes

On the other hand, businesses that succeed in marketing usually do three things well:

• They choose the right direction and stay consistent
• They focus their efforts and excel in one area first
• They have the patience to wait for results

Because in marketing, success rarely comes from doing more.

It comes from doing the right things consistently, over time.