Understanding the Challenges of Marketing: Why Does It Often Seem to Get the Blame?

Marketing professionals and freelancers often find themselves at the receiving end of criticism, regardless of the results they deliver. This phenomenon can be disheartening and, at times, even perplexing. As a freelance marketer myself, I’ve experienced this firsthand, and I want to share some insights into why this happens and how professionals can navigate these challenges.

Personal Experiences in Marketing Projects

Over my career, I’ve partnered with diverse clients, and some recent experiences highlight the complexities involved:

1. SaaS Product Promotion
2. Scope: Created 5–6 blog posts over a month, earning ₹15,000.
3. Results: The efforts resulted in 17 trial sign-ups and one paying customer within the first month.

4. Outcome: After delivering the content, the client paid ₹13,000, requested some revisions, and then ceased communication.

5. Developer Tool Growth

6. Scope: Helped attract 1,200 website visitors in a month and gathered 30–40 developer feedback responses.
7. Challenges: The main hurdles were pricing issues and competition from open-source alternatives. Many developers found the product too expensive, which led to negative comments and a decline in sign-ups.
8. Progress: We had agreed to refine market fit and adjust pricing later, but despite these efforts, the project encountered negativity and criticism.

Reflections from Past Roles

Even in full-time roles, I’ve encountered similar frustrations. Efforts to bring in customers and grow audiences sometimes went unrecognized or unappreciated, leading to doubts about my own effectiveness.

Is It Personal or Industry-Wide?

This recurring experience raises important questions:

• Is my work genuinely ineffective, or are clients sometimes undervaluing marketing efforts?
• Are products often not ready for market yet, leading to misplaced blame on marketing?
• Does the industry inherently place unfair expectations on marketers for outcomes that depend on multiple factors?

Dealing with the Reality

While these situations can be discouraging, they also highlight the importance of managing expectations and understanding industry dynamics. Here are some strategies:

• Set Clear Expectations: Clearly define goals, what marketing can realistically achieve, and the timeframe involved.
• Communicate Regularly: Keep clients informed to build trust and demonstrate ongoing value.
• Focus on Data and Insights: Use analytics to showcase progress and learnings, backing up your work