How to Avoid Predatory Marketing as a New Business Owner

Starting a business already feels like an emotional rollercoaster, right? Well, yeah, that’s pretty obvious, but once you try and throw marketing at it and you try to understand the whole premise of what a successful marketing strategy is, well, that’s usually when things feel a bit tougher, right? You might think you have a strategic plan for your business, too, but things are still confusing to you, the marketing aspect at least. 

Honestly, it feels like stepping into a jungle where everyone’s speaking in buzzwords, throwing out wild promises, and charging well, way too much for what the average person can afford (and all of these AI-powered ads make things confusing, too). Now, sure, when it comes to learning anything new, it’s all practically like another language to some degree. But the problem here is how quickly new business owners get targeted, all because it’s painfully easy to spot who’s still figuring things out. 

It’s Obvious Who’s a New Business Owner

Alright, well, mostly it is, but yeah, it’s like they can smell a new business owner from a mile away. Yeah, there’s just something about being new that instantly attracts certain marketers (to a degree, a little uneasy about it). In a way, it can be like the digital version of sharks sensing blood. Well, the predatory ones, not all marketers, just the predatory ones. 

But, to a degree, the moment a business pops up online, the DMs arrive, some land in your business email, LinkedIn, contact forms on your website, and you’ll sometimes get the whole “I can grow your page to 100k followers in a month”, or “Buy my course and you’ll hit six figures before summer”. Sometimes, you get harassing emails too, which is absolutely awful (but don’t let those bother you). Needless to say, it’s a lot. 

And when someone’s just starting out, it’s so tempting to believe it, because who wouldn’t want “fast growth” or “instant visibility”?

The Lack of Knowledge Makes You a Target

Getting super blunt here, the reason new business owners get taken advantage of is because the industry knows who’s clueless and overwhelmed. But just keep in mind that not everyone in the industry does this, and it’s not like the industry as a whole is out to get you or other small business owners; it’s just the bad apples, that’s all.  And honestly, there’s zero shame in not knowing, because most people weren’t taught any of this growing up (and this industry is always changing, too).

But yeah, the lack of understanding makes it incredibly easy for someone to sell you something overpriced, unnecessary, or poorly done. Now, ideally, it’s just best to educate yourself on marketing, not to DIY, but just so you know what’s realistic. You can look into the resources and courses that Jason McDonald offers because he focuses on breaking down marketing into lessons that are digestible (and understandable) for people with zero experience. 

Learning Prevents Red Flags

This isn’t about avoiding marketing help forever. And again, not everyone is predatory either; it’s the furthest thing. The support is honestly amazing, and people usually have each other's backs.  It’s really just about knowing enough to protect yourself. If someone promises guaranteed results or acts offended when you ask questions, take that as a sign. Oh, and if they can’t explain their strategy in normal human language without hiding behind marketing jargon, that’s another red flag.