Why Some Business Owners Struggle to Implement Marketing Advice

As a consultant specializing in social media strategies for small businesses, I’ve encountered a curious phenomenon during my paid consultations. At times, it feels less like strategy development and more like a therapeutic session where I’m acting as a sounding board for their frustrations.

Many of the entrepreneurs who reach out to me for guidance on their Instagram presence express a clear desire for increased engagement, broader reach, and overall growth. While I genuinely enjoy these interactions, and have witnessed remarkable transformations in some clients who actively apply my recommendations, there’s a notable group that leaves our sessions without making any changes at all.

What perplexes me is not the surface-level nature of my advice; rather, we delve deep into essential aspects such as brand clarity, messaging, content strategy, optimizing bios, and fostering genuine audience connections. We address the core elements that can significantly impact their business. Yet, despite the detailed insights and actionable strategies provided during our conversations, many clients seem to revert to their previous habits shortly after.

This has left me pondering: why invest in professional guidance only to disregard it? If I were overseeing a business, I would be invested in its success more than anyone else. Understanding the needs of my audience—where the revenue ultimately stems from—would be my top priority.

I’m reaching out to my fellow consultants and business owners: is this reluctance to implement advice a common trend? Or have I simply been fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to encounter a few unique cases? I’m eager to hear your thoughts and experiences on this subject. Let’s open up a dialogue on how we can ensure that valuable strategies don’t fall by the wayside!