If you start your marketing plan with tactics instead of people, it’s already off track.

One of the biggest mistakes I see advisors make is starting with the marketing tactic instead of the audience. They decide they want a podcast, a newsletter, or a YouTube channel, then scramble to find an audience for it.

That’s backwards.

If you don’t know exactly who you’re trying to reach, your marketing will feel like shouting into the void. The most effective marketing doesn’t start with a medium—it starts with an audience.

Before you launch anything, ask yourself these questions:

Who am I trying to reach? Be specific. Not just “retirees” or “business owners,” but a particular group with shared needs or values.
Where do they spend their time? Do they spend time on Instagram? Listen to podcasts? Attend conferences? Your marketing belongs there, not everywhere.
What do they care about most right now? Build your content around their problems and goals, not the things you want to talk about.

When you build your marketing around an audience, everything becomes easier. You know what to say, where to say it, and why it matters. Instead of trying to make people pay attention to your content, you create content that fits into their world.

The takeaway? Stop building your marketing with the hope that an audience finds it. Start with your audience and build your marketing around them. That simple shift can make your efforts more focused, relevant, and effective.