What happens if you over-complicate your small business marketing?
Today we’re joined by Tayler Cusick Hollman! She’s a marketing consultant turned small business champion and the founder of Enji, a super user-friendly marketing tool made specifically for small business owners who are doing it all themselves. After spending over a decade helping small businesses figure out their marketing, Tayler took everything she knows and poured it into Enji, to help you get your marketing done quickly, confidently, and without the overwhelm. Because (let’s face it )most of us didn’t sign up to be our own Chief Marketing Officer, but with the right tools, it doesn’t have to feel so impossible.
Small business marketing is already a juggling act, and sometimes we’re the ones tossing in extra flaming batons. Because it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that more is better: more posts, more emails, more platforms. And overcomplicating your marketing doesn’t just make it harder, it can actually sabotage your results, your sanity, and your bottom line. But here’s the not-so-fun truth—you might be the reason your marketing is complicated. And today, we’re unpacking the very real, very negative impact of making your marketing more complicated than it needs to be and how you can avoid getting burned by said flaming batons.
So, what happens if you over-complicate your marketing as a small business owner? This ⬇️
You end up not having time because your marketing plan is bigger than your calendar
Let’s do some quick math. Say you have two precious hours a week to devote to marketing. You dream big: two email newsletters, three Instagram reels, a weekly blog post, and a daily Pinterest pinning spree. Ambitious? Absolutely. Realistic? Nope.
So let’s be real about how much time that would probably take if you’re hammering and using a decent amount of AI to get things done:
2 email newsletters: 1 hour
3 reels: 1 hour
1 blog post: 1.5 hours
25 pins: 1 hour
That’s 4.5 hours of work for your 2-hour window. See the problem? The math needs to math, folks. Because if you bite off more than you can chew your marketing plan literally becomes bigger than your calendar—and you’re setting yourself up for a cycle of missed deadlines and mounting frustration.
In the end, overcomplicated marketing is marketing you simply don’t have time for. And when your plan is impossible to execute, it quickly becomes a source of stress rather than a driver of results.
Overcomplicated marketing is marketing that stresses you out and zaps your energy
Ever felt that sinking feeling when you look at your to-do list and realize you’re already behind? That’s overcomplicated marketing piling on the pressure. And that puts you in a place where you’re not just trying to keep up…you’re trying to sprint a marathon.
The result? Stress—and not the productive, “I’m-on-a-deadline” kind. We’re talking about the kind that sends your anxiety through the roof and makes your creativity shrivel. Because (any creative knows this), when you’re overwhelmed, your heart’s not in it. You rush through tasks, cut corners, and lose the spark that makes what you do special.
And the quality of what you’re doing takes a nose dive.
Maybe your social posts start sounding generic. Maybe your emails go out with typos (oops). Or maybe your blog posts lack the thoughtful insights your audience craves. And that turns into content that doesn’t reflect your brand’s personality or connect with your audience.
That’s not just bad for your marketing, it’s bad for your mindset. And instead of feeling proud of your efforts, you’re left with a nagging sense that you’re always falling short (woof).
And ultimately if you’ve overcomplicated your marketing, you’re not going to do it
When marketing feels like a monstrous, unslayable beast, you’re far more likely to avoid it altogether. The more complicated your plan, the more likely you are to kick that marketing can down the road (again and again and again) until eventually, it does slinks off into the sunset as a thing that never got done.
Over time, this avoidance becomes a bad habit. You start dreading your marketing tasks instead of looking forward to them. And before you know it, weeks (or months) go by without a single post, email, or marketing touch point to keep your small business visible. Your marketing isn’t just ineffective—it’s nonexistent.
And this is where you probably knew I was going to end up, but it’s true—you can’t do marketing that is overly complicated as a small business owner who is doing it themself. What you can do is simple. So the best thing you can do is simplify your marketing to fit the amount of time you have, so it gets done, and you feel confident.
Why a simple marketing plan for your small business wins every time
Here’s the hard left turn into a happier tone: you don’t need to do it all. In fact, you shouldn’t even try to do it all. But that means you have to un-complicate your marketing.
And when you do, you start to see things in a super clear way. All of the sudden, consistency is easy. And in the end, you feel so. much. more. Confidence because things actually get done—and you feel good about it.
But simple marketing doesn’t mean lazy marketing. It means smart marketing, and (again) it requires you un-complicate your marketing plan.
Worried you’ve complicated your marketing? Take your first step towards simplicity with this free webinar!
If you’re nodding along and thinking, “Yep, I’ve definitely gone and overcomplicated things,” you’re not alone. Shannon was there (true story). And that’s why she and I recorded a quick free webinar for you.
“The simple marketing routine that changed everything”
In 17 minutes, we’ll show you:
How Shannon finally figured out what marketing a small business really looks like
The simple shift she made to totally change her marketing routine
The marketing system that keeps her organized, accountable, and consistent
Ready to uncomplicate your own marketing? Watch the webinar!
Overcomplicating your marketing isn’t a badge of honor—it’s a recipe for a messy soup of something you definitely don’t want. So take a breath, let go of the “shoulds,” and give yourself permission to keep it simple. Your time, your sanity, and your business will thank you. And if you need a little guidance, the webinar is the perfect place to start.
