The Believable Lies That Waste Business Owner's Time, Money

Since 2001, I've wasted my share of budgets and late nights on shiny new tactics, vendors, and tools — ones that created plenty of noise, dazzling vanity metrics, and exactly zero real results.

The upside? At least now I can spot the flawed thinking behind these mistakes. And now hopefully, so will you.

The first of every month, I share a few useful hard-earned lessons and even an embarrassing gaffe or two, so you won't have to. This go-round I offer four favorite myths that I believed at one time or another — and what to do instead.

#1 We Help Everyone

Casting a wide net catches seaweed. Many of us waste time and money creating content for the largest possible audience. If you can’t describe the person who truly needs this information, start there. Tailor your content, messaging, and platforms to that person. What would they respond to? What do they care about? What do they fear? What does winning look like to them?

Appealing to everyone results in bland, generic messaging that creates no value. Get specific. Create value for the 49-year-old single mom who works out, the business owner with five employees who does their own taxes, or the homeowner whose kids are heading to college while their aging parents move in.

#2 We Don't Know What Our Audience Wants

The truth is—you could know if you wanted to. Losing track of your content metrics is like ignoring what your audience is telling you. The simplest fix? Lean into what works and step away from what doesn’t. But you can’t do that if you’re not tracking the leads your content generates.

And if you look away when the metrics are bad, you miss the important lessons hidden in those down arrows—the ones that tell you what didn’t work.

#3 We Just Need to Hire, Buy, Rent the [Latest Tactic]

Know the difference between tactics and strategy—a new hammer (tactic) is great unless you're baking a cake (strategy).

Deploy tactics that solve a problem or seize an opportunity in front of you right now. Stay focused on what aligns with your audience (see #1) and what they respond to (see #2).

Remember, mobile apps, video, social media, influencers, SEO, email, paid media, and AI are all valuable tactics—but they only work when applied to your specific problems and opportunities.

#4 We Need Quick Wins

The quickest win? Stop chasing quick fixes.

What most business owners really need is a consistent source of new customers, repeat business, and referrals. That requires trust, a history of creating value, and a reputation for expertise.

We know this because Bright Trail's 2025 study shows that 82% of consumers are likely or very likely to recommend a business they trust to family and friends.

Building a personal media brand that conveys trust, value, and expertise isn’t just an advantage—it’s the real opportunity to win.

What's Next?

Want to discuss how these lessons apply to your business? Let’s try a free 30-minute strategy session. In 30 minutes, we’ll:

✅ Review your business situation

✅ Identify gaps in your marketing

✅ Hit the three key metrics every owner must track to know what’s working—and what’s not

Completely free. No obligation. Just one click away.