With all the noise on the internet, it’s hard to find marketing advice that actually works for your business. Most of what’s out there costs a small fortune and leaves you wondering what you even paid for.
I’ve been there. There isn’t one single marketing effort that transforms your business overnight. Real growth comes from doing a few things really well, consistently.
After connecting with thousands of startups and growth-stage companies, I’ve seen the same fears pop up again and again: how to stand out, where to start, and how to do it all without draining your budget.
I built Accelity from $0 to 7 figures, and I know what it takes to get results that last. The key? Be realistic about what you can accomplish.
This isn’t a magic formula or a promise that one tactic will change everything. It’s a simple, realistic framework you can actually put into practice.
Let’s walk through five tips that make the biggest difference.
Tip 1: Create a brand that speaks for itself
You know what you’re selling and why it’s great… but that doesn’t mean your audience does. Most early-stage companies hit the same wall: people don’t understand who you are, what you offer or why they should care.
Brand isn’t just visuals or a logo. It’s the clarity and consistency that help someone recognize you, trust you and choose you.
Here’s how to build a brand that does the heavy lifting for you:
- Be clear before you get clever. A good brand connects quickly. People should understand what you do in seconds.
- Start with the basics. A simple, focused website or landing page that explains who you are, what you do and how to contact you is enough at the start.
- Build a personal brand alongside your business. People buy from people, especially early on. Show your face, share your perspective and let people get to know the human behind the work.
- Pick one platform and get consistent. You don’t need to be everywhere. Choosing one channel you can maintain is better than posting sporadically across five.
- Engage more than you broadcast. Respond to comments, answer questions and start conversations. Trust is built in the interactions, not just the posting.
- Add value first. Share lessons, insights and education long before you sell. That’s what builds loyalty.
A strong brand isn’t complicated. It’s clear, human and consistent. Show up as yourself, keep your message tight and let repetition do its job.
Tip 2: Marketing to everyone is marketing to no one
Trying to appeal to everyone is a huge trap companies of all sizes can fall into. It feels safe (who doesn’t want all the customers?), but it’s not. When you try to reach everyone, no one feels like you’re talking to them.
Start small and stay focused:
- Pick one audience first. Don’t spread yourself thin across multiple markets. Once you’ve nailed the formula, then you can expand into another market.
- Build concise buyer personas. Think about who’s involved in the buying process and what drives their decisions. Don’t create ten; start with two or three—just enough to guide your messaging for the next few months.
- Track your audience as you go. Add a CRM so you can see who’s engaging, what they care about and how they move through your funnel (HubSpot offers a solid free option to get started!).
Choosing one audience isn’t limiting; it’s how you grow faster. Focused messaging builds trust, and trust drives results.
Tip 3: Create a plan that you can actually achieve
Being realistic about what you can achieve is the most important part of creating a marketing plan.
Too many founders build aggressive plans they can’t maintain. Once they miss a few deadlines, the whole thing collapses and momentum with it.
Don’t be that person!
The best plan is the one you can actually stick to.
Keep these basics in mind:
- Start with your value proposition. It should clearly state what you do, who you do it for and why it matters. Keep it simple, specific, compelling and unique.
- Choose your channels intentionally. Pick one or two channels (e.g., LinkedIn, email) based on where your audience spends time and what you can sustain.
- Set a pace you can stick to. A weekly post you actually publish beats a daily cadence you abandon after two weeks.
- Keep your messaging simple. If someone can’t understand what you do in 10 seconds on your website, that’s a problem.
Most importantly, remember: good marketing doesn’t mean doing everything. It means doing the right things consistently.
Tip 4: Content creation for the rest of us
I know you’re not a dummy. But let’s be honest, creating content can feel like it requires a degree in everything. The truth? It doesn’t. You don’t need to be a marketing genius to create great content, you just need the right plan, a few good habits and some consistency.
Keep in mind that 78% of people say they’d rather learn about a product or service by watching a short video than reading about it. That actually makes your job easier; the tools to create video are more accessible than ever.
Here’s how to make it manageable:
- Think in themes, not chaos. Pick one key topic each month and build around it. Create a single “anchor” piece (like a blog, podcast or video) and repurpose it across channels.
- Mix formats. People consume content differently. Use a blend of video, graphics and short text. In 2025, video still leads engagement across most platforms.
- Keep production simple. You don’t need a full studio setup. Just solid lighting, clear visuals and a confident message. Authentic beats overproduced every time.
- Plan once, execute often. Set aside time each month to map out your social posts, emails and website updates. Don’t try to plan for the entire quarter at once.
- Stay consistent. One platform done well beats three half-done. Pick where your audience is and show up regularly (for me, that’s LinkedIn).
Content doesn’t need to be complicated if your goal is to be consistent and valuable. Make sure every piece of content gives your audience a clear next step. Focus on education and value, not selling.
Tip 5: Tweak and repeat
You won’t get it perfect the first time… and that’s the point.
Great marketers aren’t afraid to make mistakes. They pay attention, learn and keep moving. Every campaign, post or email gives you something to learn from, so use it.
Here’s how to make iteration a habit:
- Review what’s working and what’s not. Look at data weekly or monthly, depending on your pace, and take notes on what actually drives results.
- Refine, don’t restart. You don’t need to scrap your whole plan when something underperforms. Small tweaks compound into big progress.
- Test one thing at a time. Change headlines, visuals or CTAs one by one so you know what’s actually making the difference.
- Track your metrics. Use tools like Databox to centralize and visualize performance data from multiple platforms so you can make informed, real-time decisions.
- Document your wins. Keep a running list of what works best so your process gets sharper with every round.
If something works, double down. If it doesn’t, pivot and try again. Strong marketing happens when you learn fast, adjust and keep improving.
Turn consistent action into lasting growth
If there’s one takeaway here, it’s this: you don’t need a giant budget or a perfect plan to grow.
You just need a clear brand, the right audience, a plan you can stick to, simple content and the willingness to learn as you go. Keep moving, stay curious and let the results guide your next step.
P.S. I cover this topic in depth on my podcast, The Art of Entrepreneurship! Here are some of my favorite episodes to help you get started:
Personal brands seem to be everywhere these days.
Scroll through LinkedIn and you’ll see plenty of advice like:
“You have a personal brand whether you’re running it or not.”
And while that’s technically true, it doesn’t mean everyone needs, or wants, to build one.
So, do you really have to put yourself out there online to grow a business or a career?
The short answer: no.
The long answer: it can change everything if you’re willing to try.
Why I (initially) resisted building a personal brand
Believe it or not, I was completely against the idea until 2018.
I followed all the “branding gurus.” I knew what I could do—and maybe even should do—but I didn’t want to.
I told myself my company should stand on its own. That Accelity didn’t need my face plastered all over the internet. And I definitely didn’t want to be another talking head spewing motivational fluff that no one believes. Looking back, I realize I was just scared.
Because a personal brand is… personal.
It’s your ideas, your stories, your face—and that opens the door to criticism. And believe me, I’ve read some wild stuff about myself online.
But here’s the thing: the potential pros ended up far outweighing the cons.
What changed my mind
When I finally gave it a real shot, something clicked.
It’s not a coincidence that the same period I started posting regularly on LinkedIn was the same time Accelity hit 7-figures in revenue. The visibility, relationships, and trust I built there all fed back into the business.
I’ve learned a few big lessons along the way:
- You can grow without being “obnoxiously salesy.” I focus on giving value, not selling. That’s it. The more you help people, the more it comes back—ten-fold.
- You don’t have to be controversial. A lot of people blow up online by being mean, calling others out, or picking fights. That’s not my jam, and it doesn’t have to be yours either. You can grow a genuine audience without stirring up drama.
- Consistency pays off—literally. I just checked our CRM: 27% of Accelity’s all-time revenue comes directly from my LinkedIn activity. That’s a lot. of. cash.
When you show up consistently and build real relationships, your personal brand becomes one of your best business growth tools.
So, do you need a personal brand?
No—you don’t need a personal brand to be successful.
But if you’re open to sharing what you’ve learned, giving generously, and sticking with it, it can completely change the way you grow.
Maybe, this is the sign you needed to start. If you want to see what kind of results a personal brand can drive, check out our blog How to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Business and Personal Brand for more ideas on how to turn your presence into real opportunities.
P.S. I cover this topic in depth on my podcast, The Art of Entrepreneurship! Here are some of my favorite episodes to help you get started:
As entrepreneurs, we’ve all heard it: you need a personal brand.
In theory, it sounds simple. But what does that actually look like—and what kind of results can it drive for your business?
When I started building my brand on LinkedIn in 2018, I didn’t want to just talk about marketing to generate leads. Did I like marketing? Of course. (I’d better—I built an agency around it.) But did I want to talk only about marketing? Definitely not.
From day one, I wanted my brand to do more than feed our pipeline. I wanted it to open doors to new ideas, partnerships, and opportunities to teach.
During the time I’ve been active on LinkedIn, the platform has allowed us to:
- Grow a client base from all over the country—and the world. We’ve worked with clients from Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Dubai, and more.
- Hire talented team members and build a strong bench of candidates ready to jump in whenever we open a role.
- Launch a course and a podcast, both of which strengthen Accelity’s presence and feed our pipeline.
- Connect with incredible people I never would have met without LinkedIn.
Over time, that’s exactly what it’s done—fueling growth for Accelity while helping me connect with an incredible community of founders, creators, and marketers all while remaining human.
Why your personal brand matters more than ever
LinkedIn isn’t just a place to post jobs or update resumes anymore. It’s where people build trust before they ever click a website.
According to LinkedIn’s 2024 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report, social media is the most-used (75%) and most effective (36%) channel for marketers—and more than 7 in 10 plan to use it even more this year. That alone says it all: Your audience is spending time here looking for real people they can learn from and trust.
That’s why I treat my profile like an extension of our brand—not an afterthought. When people connect with you as a person first, the “business” side comes naturally.
Takeaway: Your LinkedIn presence should feel personal, not promotional. Share experiences, opinions, and lessons that show how you think—not just what you sell.
Building my brand on LinkedIn
When I first started posting, I didn’t overthink it. I created short videos about business, marketing, and leadership—the parts of my job I actually enjoy talking about.
Instead of polished scripts or perfect backdrops, I focused on being real and sharing value. The result? Engagement skyrocketed, and I started hearing from people who said they related to what I was saying.
Those early videos helped me grow my following quickly. More importantly, they positioned me as a trusted voice in my industry. People who saw me online already knew my tone, my style, and my point of view. By the time they reached out about working together, they were already warm leads.
That’s the power of showing up as yourself.
Takeaway: Don’t wait until your content feels “ready.” Consistency and authenticity beat polish every time.
Turning content into clients
Most people see personal branding as a straight line:
Mine looks more like this:
…and I want it that way.
That approach has fueled Accelity’s growth for years. Even though I post about leadership, entrepreneurship, and life lessons—not just marketing—my audience is still full of potential clients.
And I’m still making sure my community here is full of target buyers. Know how I know it works? 27% of Accelity’s all-time revenue has come directly from LinkedIn.
Here’s how we do it:
- Identify your audience intentionally: every quarter, we refresh my network. If we’re focusing on a specific industry, we find the decision-makers at those companies and start building relationships–usually 2 or 3 per company. (If you have a great VA, this is an easy step to delegate.)
- Make connection requests personal: skip automation. Send short, relevant messages that feel genuine and sound like well, me. No templates, no canned messages—please, make it compelling!
- Engage before you sell: I comment on their posts, reply to stories, and share perspectives. Over time, they see my name and start to associate it with value, not a pitch.
- Follow up with value: our sales team reaches out later—but always with something helpful (a resource, a case study, a webinar invite). No cold DMs, ever.
Sometimes, I get a response right away. Other times, people watch quietly for a few months before reaching out. The ones who don’t? Our sales team follows up with value-based outreach—helpful resources, never spam.
Result/Fun fact: The last few clients who came to us through LinkedIn brought in a total of $396,000 in revenue for Accelity—and counting.
Takeaway: When you focus on relationships first and trust the process, the results follow. It’s not instant—but it’s sustainable, measurable growth that compounds over time.
Bringing the team along
Once I saw results from my own posts, I wanted the whole Accelity team involved. We started small—six posts each in one quarter.
At first, everyone was nervous (I get it; putting yourself out there is uncomfortable). But once they started posting, something clicked. One team member’s first video hit over 700,000 views. Others started building their own communities.
During that first quarter, traffic to our company’s LinkedIn page increased 4 times, and website traffic rose 144%. More importantly, it built confidence across the team. Everyone saw how personal connection fuels business growth.
Takeaway: When your team builds personal brands, your company brand grows right alongside them.
The results speak for themselves
Between my personal posts and our team’s collective efforts, LinkedIn has become a core driver of business growth for Accelity.
With this strategy we have:
- Generated 30+ new prospect meetings
- Landed multiple new clients
- Added roughly $2.5m in annual recurring revenue from relationships started on LinkedIn
Not bad for a platform most people still see as “just social media.”
Staying consistent (even when it’s hard)
The hardest part of personal branding isn’t starting—it’s staying consistent.
LinkedIn’s data shows creators who post regularly for six months generate 5 times more inbound opportunities than those who post sporadically. I’ve seen that firsthand: even when engagement dips, visibility and trust keep compounding.
Takeaway: Consistency builds credibility. Choose a realistic posting rhythm—then stick to it. Momentum beats perfection.
Want to grow your brand on LinkedIn?
If you’re ready to build trust, attract clients, and grow through genuine connection—let’s talk.