Marketing systems built around what the customer really wants, not what we think they want.

The Fundamentals of Marketing and Why Most Business Marketing Fails

Are You Losing Money Because Your Marketing Foundation Is Broken?

Here’s the “foundation” for most businesses’ marketing. Guess how long it holds up? Yeah… not long.

It happens all the time — business owners spend thousands on marketing, hoping for growth, only to watch it fade into nothing.

They chase the latest tool, trend, or “shiny new idea,” hoping it’ll finally be the magic bullet.

And when nothing happens, they’re left frustrated, confused, and asking themselves: “Why… why… why isn’t this working?!”

“Why am I spending all this money on ads, content, and digital marketers… and still getting little to nothing?!”

Then comes the blame game: Google… Facebook… the marketer… anyone but their lack of understanding of marketing.

The truth is, most people, including these "pro digital marketers", don’t know anything about the fundamentals of marketing.

Marketing—like anything complex in life—needs a solid foundation in order for it to be successful.

On this page, you’ll learn how to build a solid marketing foundation that helps you get more leads — and keep them coming in consistently, without having to work harder.

Here’s the “foundation” for most businesses’ marketing. Guess how long it holds up? Yeah… not long.

A Good Foundation Is the Secret to Successful Marketing

Timeless Principles

Imagine building on muddy ground, sailing a boat without a hollow interior, or flying a plane without the right wing shape.

You wouldn’t — because it simply wouldn’t work. That’s because they ignore the basic principles that, when broken, defy the laws of nature and make everything else fail.

Boats, planes, and buildings all rely on fundamental principles—buoyancy, aerodynamics, and structural engineering.

Once you understand how these principles work, you can build a boat that floats, a plane that flies, and a building that stands strong.

The same idea applies to marketing.

In marketing, the equivalent of the “laws of buoyancy” or "aero dynamics" is buyer psychology — the deep understanding of how people think, what they value, and how they make purchasing decisions.

Now, don’t worry — we’re not about to start building boats or anything. What we want to build is a marketing system that floats... I mean, works (heh).

Once we understand how a person buys, we can then build a marketing system that’s designed to guide them naturally toward that decision.

The Customer Buying Journey

So, how does a customer shop? There is a simple way to find out. Just look deeply at how you make purchasing decisions.

Think about the last few times you made purchases.

What did you do?

What sparked your interest in this product or service in the first place? Did you research your options online or offline? How many businesses did you look at before deciding? And what information ultimately swayed you toward the business you chose?

I’m willing to bet you didn’t just call the first business you saw in an ad or make a decision without doing any research. Especially when it’s a big purchase, you probably spent time reading reviews, checking websites, and comparing your options before deciding.

Do you think the way you buy is any different in how others buy? And does your marketing mirror the way people make decisions today?

Hmmm...

Ok, enough with the self-reflection. Let's see in general how people make buying decisions. The following are the key steps people make when deciding on purchasing a product/service.

The Customer Buying Journey:

A problem, concern, or desire arises — This is where every buyer’s journey begins. The only reason sales and marketing exist is because people want to fix something, avoid something, or gain something. Your job as a marketer or business owner is either to create awareness of that need or to be present when they’re already aware and ready to solve it.

Goes to the best place the feel like they would fix or learn how to fix their problem or fulfill their desire: Awareness is the spark. Once a person becomes aware, they will look for the best places to fix the problem or fulfill the desire. That might be asking a family, friend, or neighbor for suggestions. Or that might be a quick Google search on their phone. Or maybe it is a walk into your store.

Does research: Once someone discovers your business, they don’t buy immediately — they research. They’ll explore your website, read your reviews, browse your social media, and check your business profiles. Some might even look at offline materials like brochures or flyers. What are they really searching for? Trust, credibility, and a clear reason to choose you over everyone else.

Looks what other options or alternatives: You won’t be the only business they look at. Buyers compare you to other providers, alternative solutions, and even the option of postponing or skipping the decision entirely. In other words, you got competition to overcome, and inaction is one of the players.

Takes time before making a decision: Customers today don’t make decisions on the spot like they used to years ago—back when their only source of information was the salesman who “knew it all.” Now, with the internet literally in their pockets, people take their time. The bigger the investment, the longer the decision takes—sometimes hours, sometimes weeks, even months. But even with smaller purchases, hesitation is common. People will overthink a $5 Amazon item.

See's how you treat them: This one’s interesting — many business owners don’t realize that customer service can be just as important, if not more important, than the product or service itself. Especially when your competitors are just down the street. Take too long to respond, sound dismissive, or act unprofessionally, and your customer disappears—straight into the black hole of lost opportunities.

Every buyer moves through this process whether it's a big product or small. But of course, how fast they move through this process depends on several variable like how expensive the product is, how well recognize your brand is, how urgent is the problem the customer has, how much money the customer can spend, how many people are involved in the buying decision, and other variables we may or may not be aware of.

The key to remember is that every buyer moves through this process whether it's a big product or small, and this may take anywhere from just a few minutes, to hours, days, weeks, or even months (high ticket items).

And the longer it takes to make a decision, the stronger your foundation has to be.

So now that we understand customer buying journey, the question is: how do you build a marketing foundation that actually works? Simple — you meet your potential customer at every step of the journey.

Building a Foundation that Works

Mirror your customers

If you want to navigate the marketing sails successfully, you need a north star or a map. Without one, you are just gambling your money. That north star or map is your customers buying journey".

Piece your marketing together based on the customer buying journey, and you’ll finally have a strategy that works. Why? Because it literally matches the way the customer buys — not how marketers hope they do.

In the end, it’s the customer who decides if your business is worth their money and time. Marketing is just the means of showing that it is. And if you give exactly what the customer is looking for every step of the way, it is very likely that you will win the business.

Things your marketing system must do to match the customer's journey

Stir the problem/desire or create it:
Every product or service exists to solve a problem or fulfill a desire. Your job is to either stir that problem or desire (create urgency) or make customers aware of it—often by giving them new information or a fresh perspective they hadn’t considered before.
There are countless ways to create urgency or shift someone’s perspective—it’s an art in itself—but here’s the golden rule: always start with the problem or desire, not the solution.
Most businesses jump straight into talking about their service, but people don’t buy solutions—they buy because of a problem they want gone or a desire they want satisfied.
If you start your message where they start—at the problem or desire—you’ll capture attention. And in the online world, attention is gold.

Be exactly where your customers are searching:
Where do people go when they need a product or service? Google search? Social media? YouTube? What keywords are they using to find it?
If you show up in the right place, at the right time—where the intent is highest— your chances of getting the business increases.

Show that you're trustworthy and credible:
If people are going to research your business or industry, why not give them the information they’re looking for? Too many business owners fail to provide content that makes them appear authoritative and trustworthy. And if you don’t offer it, people will either doubt whether you’re legitimate—or they’ll choose someone who seems more credible. (Dare take those chances?).
So, what kind of information should you provide? Anything that builds trust, demonstrates expertise, and answers the questions your customers are already asking—think FAQs, how-to guides, tips, tutorials, case studies, or helpful videos. The goal is simple: make it easy for them to see that you know your stuff and can be relied on.

Stand out from the crowd:
When customers compare you to your competitors, your goal should be: don’t blend in. Most businesses sound the same, look the same, and say the same things. Because of this they end up just another business in the sea of countless competition. No reason to be chosen.
But you can shift those odds in your favor simply by sounding different. Why leave the decision to chance when you can strongly influence it?
You can do that by having a unique offer, offering highly valuable content that no one else is providing, or simply by just sounding different (not saying the same things in the exact same way your competitors are).
There’s a thing called copywriting which is basically the art and science of capturing attention and persuading people to take action. Mastering the key principles of copywriting will give you the tools to stand out, connect with your audience, and ultimately drive more customers to choose you over the competition.

Stay top of mind by following up:
People most often than not take their time decisions before ever making a purchase. During this time, you must be following up or you risk being forgotten. Especially in today's time where people are very busy, distracted, and overwhelmed by the endless choices. By sending follow ups, you are staying top of mind. And staying top of mind = more sales.
Quick note on follow ups: The way you follow up matters—a lot. Following up correctly isn’t just sending a quick text or a generic email; it’s an art. Done right, follow-ups remind your potential customers that you exist, build trust, and keep you top of mind without annoying them. Done wrong, they can feel pushy, salesy, or worse—annoying, which can make customers ignore you or even go with someone else.

Respond fast and great customer service: Once a person is ready to buy or just want to talk to someone when they have questions/concerns, then you must be quick to respond and respond professionally. Many businesses lose leads this way by not responding quick or by being rude or unprofessional.

Conclusion

A house is only as strong as its foundation—and the same goes for your marketing. Build a weak foundation, and everything else can crumble. Here is a quick overview of what we talked about on this page:

Every strong structure—whether a building, a boat, or a marketing system—needs a solid foundation. In marketing, that foundation is rooted in buying psychology: understanding how customers think, what drives their decisions, and the path they take before making a purchase.

Here are the basic steps people take before making a buying decision:
- A problem, concern, or desire arises.
- Goes to the best place the feel like they would fix or learn how to fix their problem or fulfill their desire.
- Does research.
- Looks what other options or alternatives.
- Takes time before making a decision.
- See's how you treat them.

To build a marketing foundation that stands the test of time, you just have to mirror or intercept the customer at every step of the way:
- Stir the problem/desire or create it.
- Be exactly where your customers are searching.
- Show that you're trustworthy and credible.
- Stand out from the crowd.
- Stay top of mind by following up.
- Respond fast and great customer service.

With a strong foundation in place, your marketing doesn’t just have a better chance of succeeding—every dollar you invest works harder. That means your dollars stretch further, results come faster, and growth starts to snowball.

So, now that you understand foundation is key to marketing, how exactly do you build a marketing system or strategy that will make your business succeed? Stay tuned.