When it comes to businesses objecting to advertising, I’ve heard it all. These are the most common misconceptions holding local businesses back—and the reality that’s costing them customers.
Myth: “Email marketing doesn’t work. Nobody reads email anymore.”
Reality: YOUR emails get read—by the people who matter most.
Your customer list isn’t random strangers. These are people who already trust you enough to hand over their contact information. When you show up in their inbox regularly, you stay top of mind. When they need what you sell, you’re the first call.
The question isn’t whether everyone reads email. It’s whether your best customers do. They do. And your competitors are already in their inbox.
Myth: “I get all my business from word of mouth. I don’t need to advertise.”
Reality: Word of mouth is great—until it isn’t.
What happens when your best referrer moves away? Retires? Forgets about you? Word of mouth built your business, but it won’t protect it. The businesses that thrive are the ones people find when they’re actively looking. If you’re not visible, you don’t exist to new customers.
Myth: “I tried digital ads once and it didn’t work.”
Reality: One bad experience doesn’t mean the tool is broken.
A hammer doesn’t work if you hold it by the head. Digital advertising requires strategy, targeting, and consistency. Most businesses try it once, set it up wrong, and walk away. That’s not a failure of digital—it’s a failure of execution. Done right, digital advertising puts you in front of people who are already searching for what you offer.
Myth: “My customers aren’t online.”
Reality: Yes, they are.
97% of people search online before making a local purchase. Your 65-year-old customer? She’s on Facebook. Your contractor clients? They’re watching YouTube. The idea that “my customers aren’t online” hasn’t been true for a decade. If you’re not there, your competitor is.
Myth: “I don’t have the budget for advertising.”
Reality: You don’t have the budget NOT to advertise.
Every day you’re invisible is a day your competitor gets the call instead. Advertising isn’t an expense—it’s the cost of being found. The businesses that survive aren’t always the best at what they do. They’re the ones people can actually find.
Myth: “Digital advertising is too complicated.”
Reality: It doesn’t have to be.
Yes, the technology behind digital advertising is complex. That’s why you hire someone who understands it. You don’t need to know how the engine works to drive the car. You need a partner who handles the complexity so you can focus on running your business.
Myth: “I’ll get to marketing when things slow down.”
Reality: When things slow down, it’s too late.
Marketing doesn’t work like a faucet you turn on when you need customers. It takes time to build visibility, trust, and momentum. The businesses that market consistently don’t have slow seasons—because they’re always in front of their customers.
The Bottom Line
The world has changed. How people find businesses has changed. What worked 20 years ago—Yellow Pages, word of mouth, a good location—isn’t enough anymore.
The good news? The tools to reach your customers are more powerful and more accessible than ever. The question is whether you’ll use them—or let your competition use them first.
Are you ready to learn what technology and access to digital advertising Media Plus just secured for their clients? Visit MediaCraver.com!
Leave a Reply