The #1 Growth Mistake Startups Make 👾

👋🏽 Welcome to Growth Marketing: ON, where I share tips and insights to supercharge your marketing strategy, based on my 20+ years experience in sales and marketing.

The Growth Trap

Here’s a scenario I’ve seen too often:

A startup launches a campaign. It doesn’t perform as expected. The team scrambles to try something else—new ad creatives, different channels, another email blast. The numbers improve slightly, but not enough to move the needle.

The result? Frustration. Burnout. And worst of all, wasted resources.

Why does this happen? Because growth strategies aren’t just about “doing more.” They’re about doing the right things in a way that compounds over time.

So, let’s talk about breaking free from the trap.

Start with the Problem, Not the Channel

The biggest mistake startups make is jumping into tactics before understanding the problem.

🔍 Ask yourself:

• Why aren’t we growing faster?

• Is it an awareness issue, a conversion issue, or a retention issue?

• Are we solving a real customer pain point, or are we just adding noise to the market?

I worked with a startup recently that kept pouring money into ads, trying to acquire new users. When we dug deeper, we realised their conversion rate on the landing was less than 1%. Their problem wasn’t acquisition—it was conversion.

Fixing that problem gave them the growth they were chasing.

Stop Guessing, Start Listening

Your customers are telling you what they want—are you listening?

Most startups either:

• Don’t talk to their customers enough, or

• Ask questions that don’t go deep enough.

💬 Quick tip: Schedule 10 customer interviews this month. Focus on:

• What brought them to your product.

• What almost stopped them from buying.

• What problem your product solves for them.

These conversations will give you insights you can’t get from metrics alone.

Create Growth Systems, Not Random Campaigns

Growth isn’t just a series of tactics—it’s a system. Here’s what that looks like:

1. Define Your Funnel: Know your customer’s journey from awareness to loyalty.

2. Test Thoughtfully: Don’t just throw ideas at the wall. Run controlled experiments with clear hypotheses.

3. Iterate Relentlessly: Use data to refine what works and cut what doesn’t.

📊 Example: An edTech startup I consulted for implemented a simple growth framework:

• Weekly experiments (small tests, quick learnings).

• Monthly reviews (bigger adjustments).

• Quarterly planning (strategic pivots).

Within six months, they doubled their the number of inbound leads coming in weekly.

Don’t Overlook the Power of Brand

Here’s a stat for you: 89% of customers say they stay loyal to brands that share their values.

Your growth isn’t just about selling a product—it’s about building trust and connection. This is especially true for startups competing in crowded markets.

💡 Brand Audit Tip:

• Review your messaging. Is it consistent? Is it resonating?

• Look at your touchpoints. Are you delighting customers at every stage?

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What about you? Where do you feel stuck right now? Hit reply—I’d love to brainstorm ideas with you.

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