‘Set It and Forget It’ Might Be the Worst Thing for Your Marketing

Posted on August 22, 2025September 16, 2025 by Lola Egboh

Key Takeaways

Automation is helpful, but not bulletproof. Even the best systems need regular human oversight.
Audits help you catch what’s broken, outdated, or no longer working.
The best marketing isn’t ‘set it and forget it’, rather it’s ‘set it, monitor it, improve it.’

It’s the 21st century, and I think we marketers can be honest enough with ourselves to admit that automation has spoiled us a little.

There are all sorts of fancy tech tools at our disposal, from scheduling platforms to automated email sequences and AI-powered content creation platforms. It’s tempting to believe our marketing efforts can run like a slow cooker where you just throw everything in, press start, and come back when it’s “done.”

But the truth? “Set it and forget it” can be a trap. A very convenient one, but potentially equally dangerous. And if you’re not careful, it can quietly undo all the good work you’ve been doing.

A Marketing Lesson From the Trading World

A while ago, I did some contract content strategy work for Nurp, an algorithmic trading company based in Miami with super smart folks, using brilliant tech to help clients automate their forex trading. But what stood out was that they never stopped reminding clients to check in on their accounts.

Their software handled a ton of the heavy lifting, but they knew that even the best algorithms couldn’t predict everything. Market volatility, unexpected events, or even client-side settings gone wrong could throw things off. In that world, failing to monitor your account could mean real money lost, even when automation was doing its job.

Now swap “trading account” with your marketing funnel, content strategy, email campaign, or ad spend. The same principle applies.

Why Marketing Audits Matter

Marketing audits sound boring until you realise they’re often what saves your business from slowly bleeding out behind the scenes.

Here’s why they’re worth doing:

Things break silently.

Maybe your website’s lead form stopped working. Or your Facebook Pixel isn’t tracking properly anymore. You won’t know unless you look.

People change.

Your audience might be responding differently now than they were 3 months ago. Maybe your messaging feels stale. Maybe your offer isn’t resonating anymore. An audit helps you catch that before results dip.

Tech evolves.

The platforms you use are constantly updating. Something that worked perfectly last quarter might now require a new integration, setting, or approach.

You grow.

As your business scales, strategies that used to work might not cut it anymore. Audits help you assess what still fits, and what’s now holding you back.

In Summary: Set It and Keep Checking

It’s not that you shouldn’t use automation. That would not be sensible, considering how much of a difference automation can make.

But you should also schedule regular check-ins, which could be monthly, quarterly, whatever works for your business. Walk through the customer journey. Run test campaigns. Audit your content. Review your analytics. Talk to your audience. Make sure the engine is still humming.

Because great marketing isn’t just about setting up systems. It’s about making sure they’re still doing what they’re supposed to do, especially when you’re not watching.

My “More Value Marketing” Path: What, Why, and How

Posted on August 6, 2025October 16, 2025 by Lola Egboh

Key Takeaways

Growth isn’t always about spending more, but optimizing what you already have for greater efficiency and return.
“More Value Marketing” is about doing smarter work and using the power of strategy, mentorship, and training to transform how teams think and perform.
Leveraging years of leading marketing and growth across industries, my results-driven consulting approach helps businesses scale sustainably.

I recently sent my professional profile to someone who had been referred to me by an acquaintance, and she apparently found it intriguing. She had some quite interesting questions about my “more value marketing” claim, and was curious to know how I arrived at that as my value proposition.

Of course, I was flattered at the attention, given the calibre of person who was asking. But after we were done with the conversation and her questions were answered (for the moment, as she very cheekily put it😆), it occurred to me that this could actually be a fun topic to write about, sharing insights with my community about what “more value marketing” represents, and why I chose this as the cornerstone of my positioning.

In the Beginning: How It Started

Before venturing into independent consulting after my time with Gibraltar-based Xapo Bank as global content manager, I spent a lot of time reflecting on what the next phase of my career should look like. I’d been privileged to work across multiple industries and continents, starting in the fast-paced boutique advertising agency Kore & Co, where I worked on some of Nigeria’s biggest FMCG, telco, and financial brands, including Airtel, Sparwasser, Nigerian-German Chemicals, Chapel Hill Denham etc. From there, I moved to trading firm Deriv, then on to pan-African oil and gas colossus Oando. It was then the turn of the banks, first global Standard Chartered Bank, then leading financial services group First City Monument Bank (FCMB), before eventually heading to Xapo Bank.

Growth Marketing and More: The Building Blocks To My Current Reality

Phewww!!! Even I know that was quite a bit of moving around there, but it was all worth it. Not only did I grow fast, but I also learnt a lot along the way. Each role taught me something new, not just about marketing or business strategy, but about people, systems, and how small decisions can make a really big impact.

Interestingly, as the years went by and I took on more leadership responsibilities, it seemed like I had a knack for driving efficiency, not just in my own results, but even in budgets, teams, and partnerships as I took on managerial roles.

So, when I reached a crossroad in my career and needed to decide on a path forward, this realization sparked a thought that wouldn’t go away: What if I could help more businesses get more value from their marketing? The more I thought about it, the more it just made the most sense. And just like that, More Value Marketing was born.

What “More Value Marketing” Really Means

To me, “more value” isn’t just a phrase that’s all fancy and catchy (even though I get feedback that it is just that 😁). It’s a mindset that never stops asking: How can we make every growth and marketing effort work harder, smarter, and longer?

Considering that today’s world is a budget-tight and noisy one for most brands, throwing more money at marketing problems isn’t always the answer. Getting more value from what you already have is. And that’s what I help businesses do.

I work with growth-focused organizations to improve efficiency and effectiveness across their growth and customer acquisition efforts. In many cases, this means stepping in as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) or Chief Growth Officer (CGO) to help teams find clarity, optimize processes, and scale impact without overspending.

Beyond Digital Marketing: How I Help Teams Win

Over the years, I’ve found that lasting growth is significantly influenced by three critical factors, and these have become the foundation of my consulting work:

Strategy: Setting a clear, data-informed direction (offline or online) that aligns with both business goals and market realities.
Mentorship: Coaching teams to think critically, make better decisions, and execute with confidence.
Training: Equipping teams with practical, context-specific skills that drive real outcomes and not just theory.

I have consistently seen that when these three areas are combined correctly, teams can do more with the same or even less, cut waste, and drive measurable results.

Conclusion

When I take a look back through the years, it’s clear that every stop along my career path has led to this moment where I have the experience and expertise to help businesses unlock efficiency, scale sustainably, and build marketing systems that actually deliver.

If you’re looking to get more value from your marketing, whether through a sharper strategy, better execution, or stronger team capability, I would love to explore how we can work together to make that happen. Be sure to connect with me today.

Effort First, Support Second: The Secret to Getting People on Your Side

Posted on July 10, 2025September 9, 2025 by Lola Egboh

Key Takeaways

Nobody can want your success more than you — effort must come first before help pays off.
Support and introductions only work if you’ve done the groundwork (research, prospecting, preparation).
When you show commitment to your own goals, people are more willing to rally behind you.

There’s a Yoruba saying that goes, “If someone wants to help you lift a load onto your head, you must bend down and support the effort too.” In other words, if you’re expecting help, you’ve got to show up with something of your own.

This came to mind recently when I was speaking with someone I know who was struggling to meet a sales target. Let’s call him James.

James had reached out to me for support, hoping introductions and connections would solve his problem. I’m a firm believer in providing support and helping people as much as possible. However, what baffled me the more James and I talked is that it didn’t seem he had done even the basics in trying to meet his goals. He had no research into his market, no prospecting, no preparation. He just seemed to want the load lifted for him, but he hadn’t bent down to try to lift his own load.

How Vested Are You In Your Own Success?

The truth is, whether in sales, business, or life, nobody can want your success more than you. Support, introductions, and opportunities are powerful, but they can’t substitute for effort. If you’re not invested in your own success, even the best help will fall flat. In fact, such help can do more harm than good. Consider these scenarios:

If you’re given an introduction to a potential client but don’t know what problem they face or how your solution fits, the meeting will likely go nowhere.
If someone connects you with an investor but you haven’t prepared your numbers or sharpened your pitch, you’ll burn the opportunity.
If a mentor offers guidance but you don’t follow through, the advice becomes just another forgotten conversation.

That’s why being vested in your own success means doing the groundwork before seeking support. It’s not about proving you don’t need help, but making sure help actually works when it arrives.

How to Turn Support Into Success

Do the homework. Before asking for introductions, research the people or companies you want to connect with. Know what they care about and how you can add value.
Show the effort. Let people see you’re not waiting around for handouts. When others notice you’ve already put in the work, they’re more willing to open doors for you.
Respect opportunities. Every introduction, every piece of advice, every bit of support is a seed. How you nurture it determines whether it grows.

Conclusion

Over time, I have learnt that once you demonstrate you’re serious about your own goals, more people rally to help you. Reliability attracts support, and your efforts and preparedness invite opportunity. So, if you’ve been waiting for others to do the heavy lifting, it’s time to flip the script: bend down and attempt to lift the load first. Ultimately, your goal should be to ask for support, not just expect others to do everything for you.

6 Misconceptions Nigerian Businesses Have About GEO (And How to Start Doing It Right Today)

Posted on June 24, 2025September 2, 2025 by Lola Egboh

Key Takeaways

GEO is changing how Nigerians discover businesses, as AI answers now influence buying decisions.
Treating AI like a new search engine means optimizing for trust, clarity, and authority.
Businesses that adapt early to GEO will stand out, while late adopters risk invisibility.

If you run a business in Nigeria, you’ve probably been told a hundred times over the years to “do SEO.” You know, that magic activity that is supposed to help you optimize for Google, fight for page one, sprinkle in keywords, and hope people find you. But there’s a new shift happening right under our noses: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

As more people turn to AI-powered tools for answers in their day-to-day living, GEO has become a game-changer for business in Nigeria and globally. There are a lot of misconceptions floating around, so let’s clear them up.

What Is Generative Engine Optimization?

In the simplest of terms, GEO is about making sure your business shows up when people ask AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude questions. The reality is that t’s already happening. One of my clients in the e-commerce industry recently noticed that ChatGPT had started showing up in their analytics as a referral source. That means customers didn’t Google them; they asked ChatGPT, and ChatGPT pointed them in the right direction. However, for businesses to make the most of the opportunity and position correctly for GEO visibility, it’s important to separate fact from fiction.

Misconception 1: GEO Is Just SEO With a Fancy Name

Nope. SEO is about ranking on Google. GEO is about being trusted enough by AI engines that they actually mention you in their answers.

Here’s the major difference:

With SEO, you worry about where you appear in the search results.
With GEO, the AI might not even show results and instead just generates one answer. If you’re not in it, you’re invisible.

Misconception 2: Nigerians Don’t Use AI Search, So It Doesn’t Matter Yet

I’ve heard this one a lot, and it’s absolutely wrong. Nigerians are early tech adopters, can you remember how fast we jumped on WhatsApp, crypto, or even Bolt? And even if all your local customers aren’t asking ChatGPT for recommendations yet, global customers are. If someone in London asks ChatGPT, “Which Nigerian fashion brands ship abroad?” and your brand isn’t optimized for GEO, you’re missing free international exposure.

Misconception 3: GEO Is Only for Tech Bros

Not true at all. Whether you’re a fintech startup, a real estate agency, or a local restaurant in Lekki, GEO matters. It’s not about being in tech, but being visible where people are asking questions.

Think of it this way:

A Lagos-based law firm could show up when someone asks, “Who are reliable business lawyers in Nigeria?”
A restaurant in Abuja could be recommended when someone asks, “Where can I find the best suya in Abuja?”

Misconception 4: It’s All About Keywords (Again)

Traditional SEO was often about stuffing keywords like “best tailor in Lagos” all over your website. GEO doesn’t work like that, and instead of chasing keywords, GEO rewards you for clarity and authority.

AI tools prefer content that’s:

Clear and easy to understand
Structured (FAQs, lists, straightforward answers)
Fact-checked and consistent (no outdated or conflicting info)

Misconception 5: GEO Won’t Help Local Businesses

This one might be the most dangerous. If someone asks ChatGPT, “Where can I buy affordable laptops in Abuja?” and your business isn’t optimized for GEO, guess what? You’ll never even be in the conversation. In fact, the search engines like Google are already delivering GEO results by default.

Misconception 6: GEO Is Too Complicated

GEO might sound technical, but it’s really about doing the basics right:

Keep your content fresh and factual.
Build authority around your niche (don’t try to be everything at once).
Make sure your business info online is accurate and consistent.
Encourage mentions and links from reputable sources.

Conclusion

GEO isn’t some distant future trend. It’s already here, and Nigerian businesses are starting to see it in action. The companies that take it seriously now will be the ones AI engines recommend tomorrow. And in a world where customers’ online questions are first being answered by AI-powered tools, GEO makes a big difference between being invisible and being discovered.

Consistency Is NOT Always About Willpower: Here’s What Counts

Posted on June 5, 2025September 2, 2025 by Lola Egboh

Key Takeaways

Start small with habits that are easy to repeat.
Use systems (reminders, routines) instead of relying on willpower.
Consistency isn’t perfection, but bouncing back when you slip.

After my recent post about how just showing up can change the growth and opportunities game, a few people reached out to ask whether it’s possible to become more consistent. That’s a fair question, because while talking about consistency is easy, living it is where most people struggle. So, what really helps the process? Here are a few things that have worked for me:

1. Start Small

Most of us fail at consistency because we go too big, too fast. We get excited and set goals that sound impressive until real life hits. If you want to build a reputation for reliability, start small. Want to write more? Commit to one paragraph a day or a blog post a month, not a novel. Want to check in with your team? Pick one quick weekly update, not a 10-page report. Want to post more on your business social pages? Rather than aim for 7 posts a week, how about doing 2 or 3 consistently? Small actions are easier to repeat, and they add up over time.

2. Use Reminders Shamelessly

If you’re relying on memory to drive your consistency goals…hmmm, I wish you well. My experience is that it’s more about systems than anything else. For me? It’s my calendar and notes, and every single thing I need to get done gets into those. I know people who swear by sticky notes. Whatever works, use it. If a phone reminder helps you send that weekly report, review your marketing structures, or even read your Bible, then you’re already miles ahead of someone who keeps forgetting.

3. Anchor New Habits to Old Ones

When you tie a new habit to something you already do without thinking, the results can be like magic. For example, every time you make your morning coffee, use that moment to check your calendar. Or if you scroll your phone before bed (and let’s be honest, many of us do), use that time to jot down your top three priorities for tomorrow. It’s easier to build consistency when you don’t have to invent entirely new routines.

4. Don’t Beat Yourself Up When You Slip

Everyone drops the ball sometimes. I have, and you probably have too. The mistake isn’t missing once, it’s letting that one miss spiral into quitting altogether. The trick is to bounce back quickly. Consistency isn’t perfection. It’s persistence.

Conclusion

These are just a few things that have worked for me, and there are so many other habits that can make a difference. At the end of the day, what matters is showing up and being steady. And steady is what builds trust, whether you’re leading a business, climbing the career ladder, or just being the kind of person others can count on.

How to Run a Digital Marketing Audit That Delivers Results

Posted on May 21, 2025September 2, 2025 by Lola Egboh

Key Takeaways

Digital marketing audits are non-negotiable health checks for your business.
Each area requires specific focus, including SEO, content, social, ads, email, and user experience.
The goal isn’t perfection, but continuous improvement.

Too many businesses learn the hard way that marketing is not something you set up once and forget. To get the best value over time, treat your marketing like your health, where you check in regularly, before small issues quietly build into major problems. It’s quite interesting, therefore, that not all companies give this the attention it deserves. I’d previously written about types of digital marketing audits and tools needed, so this article focuses more on some useful steps to follow.

Why Do Digital Marketing Audits Matter?

Regular digital marketing audits are important for one singular reason – things change. The campaign that was delivering so many leads or new customers three months ago might be wasting money today. That blog post pulling in more than 25% of your organic traffic last year could be buried on page three now. And your social posts? They may not even be reaching a fraction of the audience they did before.

Digital marketing audits are not just about catching mistakes; they’re about spotting opportunities. Done right, an audit tells you:

What’s working and should be doubled down on
What’s underperforming and needs fixing
Where you’re wasting time, effort, or money

The Foundations of a Strong Digital Marketing Audit

Think of an audit like a full-body health check for your business. You would not skip your car’s oil change or routine maintenance because it “ran fine last week.” The same logic applies here, given that the online environment changes constantly. Search algorithms shift. Consumer habits evolve. Platforms roll out updates that rewrite the rules.

A strong digital marketing audit rests on three principles:

No channel works in isolation: Your website, ads, content, and email should all pull in the same direction.
Tools make things easier, not foolproof: Google Analytics, HubSpot, and SEMrush can give you loads of surface insights, but they don’t replace critical thinking.
Consistency beats perfection: A quarterly check-up keeps your marketing machine running better than carrying out one massive clean-up every two years.

Website and SEO Audit

For many businesses, your website is your home base. If it underperforms, every campaign suffers. Here’s what to check:

Site Speed: Slow sites bleed visitors. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to see how you stack up.
Mobile Responsiveness: Over half of searches happen on phones. If your site igives a terrible experience on mobile, you’re losing.
Broken Links & Errors: A 404 page is a red flag (in fact, a red banner!) that screams “we don’t care”
SEO Basics: Meta titles, descriptions, H1 tags, internal linking, schema markup. In fact, that blog post that ranked first in 2021? If you haven’t updated it, chances are it slipped to page three while you weren’t looking.

Content Audit

Content can be a strong salesperson, but only if it’s fresh, relevant, and aligned with your goals. For instance, you may have a post driving thousands of views but delivering zero leads, which by any standards is wasted potential. Sometimes all it takes is adding a relevant CTA or updating outdated numbers.

What to audit:

Traffic: Which pieces pull in visitors, and which ones are ignored?
Engagement: Time on page, bounce rate, scroll depth.
Conversions: Does your content actually lead to sign-ups, demos, or sales?
Accuracy: Outdated stats, old screenshots, broken CTAs.

Social Media Audit

Social moves fast, audiences change, trends come and go really quickly, and so do interests. What worked yesterday won’t always work tomorrow. Remember when Instagram Reels were optional? Now they are must-have. Even channels can be the same.

When it comes tos social, the audit checklist includes:

Engagement Rates: Are likes, comments, and shares trending up or down?
Reach and Growth: Are you actually gaining followers or just talking to the same 500 people?
Brand Consistency: Does your tone and design feel the same across platforms?
Content Mix: Are you stuck posting product plugs when your audience wants behind-the-scenes stories?

Paid Media Audit (PPC and Social Ads)

Many businesses let old campaigns run until the budget dries up, even if the ads aren’t performing anymore. That’s the fastest way to let money slip through the cracks, as even as little as a 10% increase in ROAS through an audit can mean thousands of dollars saved or earned.

Audit checklist:

ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Are your ads profitable?
Targeting: Still reaching the right audience, or has it drifted off target?
Ad Fatigue: Are you showing the same creative so often it annoys people?
Conversion Tracking: Is your pixel or tag working correctly?

Email Marketing Audit

If you’re sending emails designed for last year’s audience, don’t be surprised when this year’s audience ignores them. Email lists are like gardens, and if you leave them alone, weeds (inactive subscribers) take over.

Here’s a handy audit checklist for email:

Open and Click Rates: Still healthy or falling off?
Deliverability: Are your emails even landing in inboxes?
Segmentation: Are you still sending “one-size-fits-all” campaigns in this age where customers expect and even demand personalization?
Automation Flows: Are welcome emails, cart abandonment, and nurture sequences still relevant?

UX and Customer Journey Audit

If your customer has to think too hard to use your website, you have already lost them. Even the best campaigns collapse if your website frustrates users.

To ensure your journey works as it should, here’s the list of things to audit:

Navigation: Can visitors find what they want in three clicks or less?
Forms: Are they too long or confusing?
Checkout: Smooth, or full of friction points that drive cart abandonment?
Conversion Paths: Does every page guide the visitor toward a next step?

Competitor Benchmark Audit

Benchmarking isn’t about copying, but keeping up to date with what others in your space are doing. You’re not just competing with yourself, so it’s key to identify gaps and opportunities.

Here’s what to check:

Content Strategy: What topics are your competitors owning?
Ad Spend Signals: Where are they investing?
Social Engagement: Are they beating you on TikTok or LinkedIn?
SEO Footprint: Who’s ranking above you, and why?

Bringing It All Together

An audit is only useful if it leads to action. Depending on the sale of your operations, platforms and digital marketing, it could be a major task to handle. Here’s how to make it manageable:

Quarterly: Website speed checks, paid ads review, content refresh.
Twice a year: Full SEO audit, email segmentation cleanup.
Annually: Deep competitor benchmark, UX overhaul.

It’s not enough to just audit, findings must be analysed and any needed improvements implemented. It’s always advisable to prioritize high-impact fixes first:

Broken tracking or links should be fixed immediately.
Next, underperforming content with lots of traffic should be updated.
Cosmetic fixes or tweaks should be saved for last.

Conclusion

The correct mindset towards a digital marketing audit is to understand that it is not about nitpicking what’s wrong. It’s about uncovering opportunities you’re leaving on the table. Markets shift, and algorithms evolve. In the midst of all of these, audiences are also constantly evolving. This means that what worked yesterday won’t guarantee results tomorrow, so audits should be approached as being crucial strategy sessions that help your business sharpen its edge in the competitive marketplace.

The Power of Consistency: How Showing Up Can Be A Game-Changer

Posted on May 8, 2025September 2, 2025 by Lola Egboh

The Power of Consistency: How Showing Up Can Be A Game-Changer

Key Takeaways

Reliability builds trust and opens doors to bigger opportunities.
Showing up regularly matters more than showing up perfectly.
A steady reputation beats occasional brilliance.

When people talk about consistency, it often sounds like a motivational poster. You know, those “aspire to perspire to inspire to perspire” type statements that pump you up to “Keep going!” or “Don’t quit!” What I have found over time, however, is that the magic of consistency isn’t about grinding harder, but building a reputation people can rely on.

Think about it. Who do you trust more: the friend who always shows up when they say they will, or the one who’s always “five minutes away” but never arrives on time? Or is it the member of your team who always raises issues early enough to address them before they derail a project? Or the one who waits until the due date to start giving excuses? Reliability is rare, and that’s exactly why it’s so powerful.

Consistency = Reliability = Trust

Consistency creates trust, and trust is the currency that gets you opportunities. At work, in business, or even in relationships with family and friends, showing up consistently tells people they can count on you:

As an entrepreneur, it means your clients don’t wonder if you’ll deliver, because they know you will.
As a career professional, it means your boss or team can hand you bigger responsibilities without having to check, check, and check again.
As a person, it means your word actually means something.

Want to Grow? Show Up.

I once consulted for an e-commerce startup where the seemingly most brilliant staff was also the least reliable. Let’s call her Mary. Mary’s ideas were really great and she always had something new to suggest, but she never followed through. Not even on her “business as usual” tasks. There was always an excuse, a reason why a task was not done.

Meanwhile, there was another less vocal lady on the team, let’s call her Janet, who always went above and beyond to deliver on her tasks. I recall a particular instance where the company was dealing with severe service delays due to a logistics issue that affected hundreds of orders. Janet not only worked through her own work, she mobilized the rest of the team. Over time, slowly became the one everyone leaned on. Guess who ended up being a supervisor when a new role opened? Yep, Janet. Because reliability beats brilliance, any time, any day.

Conclusion

The world is full of people who start strong and fizzle out. If you want to stand out, be the person who follows through. Show up when you say you will. Deliver even on the things that seem small.

Consistency doesn’t mean you’re perfect or that you never mess up. It means you keep showing up in your work, in your commitments, and in how you treat people. Over time, that’s what builds your reputation. And once people see you as reliable, more doors of opportunity open for you, bringing with it more trust, more responsibility, and more rewards.

Letting Go and Starting Again: Lessons Learnt From My Vatican City Trip

Posted on April 24, 2025April 24, 2025 by Lola Egboh

Key Takeaways

Check in regularly on things you set up; backups, automations, and campaign flows need attention.
Lost data isn’t lost impact. Just because something isn’t recorded doesn’t mean it didn’t matter.
Setbacks don’t have to be full stops, they could just be a pause or a reset.

On Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, the much beloved and revered Pope Francis died. As I watched the coverage coming in from Vatican City, it pulled me right back to January 2023 when I visited the Vatican City, as part of a larger trip to Italy and Portugal. I love to visit places with rich history, and not many match the Vatican City. I took so many pictures and videos, the landmarks, the side streets, the food, the quiet corners most people don’t notice, and the people themselves. I had an amazing tour guide and was part of a group of tourists from all around the world. It was incredible.

Well-Made Plans, Interrupted

At the start of that trip, I made myself a promise: I would finally start that travel blog I’d been talking about for ages. I was at a point where I had to travel quite a lot for work, and this was a good thing because I love to discover new places. A very close friend always told me, “You should start sharing your experiences.” So I decided that this trip would be the beginning. So, from Casablanca to Rome to the Vatican City, I played tourist like I’ve never quite done before and documented everything — or so I thought.

Then, the night before I left Rome for Lisbon, I lost my phone.

I told myself, “No wahala, I have backups.” Except I didn’t. Well, I used to. Turns out my phone had stopped syncing to Google cloud almost three weeks earlier — and I had no idea. Just like that, everything from Casablanca to Rome was gone. The only pictures I had left were the few I had sent to my family groups. Ahhh! How? I’ve never been into pictures or videos (how hard it is to get a picture of me has been a long-standing joke with family and friends), and the one time I decide to go all out, this happens?

Marketing Lessons Learned From Heartbreak

I was so disheartened, I abandoned the whole travel blog idea without even knowing. The next morning, I caught my flight from Rome to Lisbon. I went on to visit Braga and Porto (both cities also in Portugal), and I didn’t take a single picture. No videos, nothing. The excitement of documenting my journey just fizzled out.

I never started the blog, and I didn’t even think about it again until all the Vatican footage from this week brought it all back. That entire experience taught me a few important lessons that I’ve carried with me ever since, especially in my line of work:

1. “Set It and Forget It” is a Lie. Always Check What’s Running.

I had set up my cloud backups long ago and assumed they were running. But something had gone wrong weeks earlier, and I didn’t check. I have seen the same thing happen in business quite frequently. Just last week, during a social media workshop with a client, I had the team check their Instagram link in bio on the spot, only to discover multiple broken and outdated links. These broke long ago, but had not been fixed, because no one was checking.

2. Some Wins Show Up In Unexpected Ways

I was so disappointed with the fact that I had nothing to post from my trip to Rome that I didn’t consider that I still had the memories. I can still tell you how Vatican City felt at sunrise, and how it felt to stand before the breathtaking frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and walk through the ancient burial chambers under St. Peter’s Basilica. Those moments still live in me, even without proof on my camera roll.

In marketing, we sometimes obsess over numbers, dashboards, and performance charts. But some wins don’t show up on Excel sheets. Not everything valuable is measurable. And not everything measurable is valuable.

3: Don’t Let One Loss Kill the Whole Dream

I lost a phone, yes. But what I really lost was the motivation to pursue a path. That travel blog dream? Gone with the pictures. One bad experience made me move on from the whole thing.

I’ve seen this happen with teams I work with, too. Something doesn’t go right; maybe a campaign flops, or engagement drops, and the instinct is to throw everything out. But sometimes, the core idea is still solid, and a bad week doesn’t always mean the strategy is bad. It may just need a little tweak. As we say in Naija “never throw the baby away with the bath water”.

4: Passion Can Pause — But It Doesn’t Have to Die

The truth? That travel blog idea didn’t die, it just found interpretation in a different type of blog (this very one that you are reading now 😂). I weave in those and other travel experiences into my writing because they are an important part of who I am.

The same goes for that idea you parked months ago. The one you believed in, but abandoned after one failed try. Maybe it’s time to dust it off and try again, older, wiser, better prepared.

Go ahead, get back in the saddle. I’m rooting for you!

7 Ways You’re Leaving Food on the Table with Your Marketing

Posted on April 17, 2025April 17, 2025 by Lola Egboh

Key Takeaways

Consistency builds trust, so don’t just advertise once and vanish.
Existing customers are your best assets and should not be ignored.
Track your data, because if you’re not measuring, you’re guessing.

You know those flaming knives that some daring stunt masters wield like it’s nothing? Running a business in Nigeria can feel like juggling a dozen of them – exciting, yet risky. You’re hustling, constantly coming up with new strategies to grow your business, but sometimes…it still doesn’t seem to click.

After working in different business sectors and with multiple businesses across various industries, one thing I’ve seen too often is businesses leaving money on the table because they’re not doing enough with what they already have.

I’ve worked with clients in food services, tech startups, and even financial services here in Nigeria, many of whom were already doing pretty okay with their marketing. However, they were all definitely leaving opportunities on the table – otherwise, they wouldn’t have needed a “more value marketing” consultant (that’s me, by the way 😁). Here are seven ways that could be happening to you too.

1. You’re Forgetting the Power of Consistency

A lot of businesses I’ve worked with spend a decent amount on advertising. They’ll launch an eye-catching campaign, get some likes, maybe a bunch of leads and then… silence.

The issue here is that marketing isn’t a one-off. It’s a long game. If you’re not staying consistent with your messaging, you’re likely not building the kind of brand loyalty you need to see real results. Think of it this way – would you stop showing up to work after getting the first paycheck? No? Then, you need to show up consistently in your customers’ lives too.

2. You’re Ignoring the Goldmine of Existing Customers

I know it’s tempting to always focus on getting new customers, but your existing ones are a goldmine for your marketing efforts. I worked with a client in fashion retail who was so fixated on new customer acquisition, it was a major hurdle to get them to open their minds to a crucial opportunity – loyal customers. They had had hundreds of customers who had already bought from them, but these customers were not being engaged for repeat business.

Upselling, cross-selling, and simply nurturing existing relationships can skyrocket your revenue through direct sales and referrals. Don’t let those who already love your business slip through the cracks. Rather, you should use the opportunity that their love offers to build loyalty and reach your customers’ inner circles.

3. You’re Not Creating Content That Solves Problems

Marketing should never feel like a never-ending sales pitch. If it does, then, you’ll get ignored, it’s only a matter of time. Instead, ask yourself this: “What problem am I solving?” If your content isn’t addressing the real concerns of your target audience, it’s just background noise. Share useful tips, solve pain points, or provide value.

When you start doing this, people will start seeing you as a go-to solution, not just another business pushing products. I always say that if every encounter with your brand is a “buy from me, buy from me” moment, you’ll never build the kind of bond with your audience that gives you the edge in today’s cutthroat business arena.

4. You’re Trying to Do Too Much, Too Soon

When you’re excited about your business, the temptation is to jump on everything—every platform, every tool, every new shiny marketing trend. However, the key to success is not about spreading yourself thin. It’s about doubling down on what works.

Rather than attempt to be present on TikTok, Instagram, X, Threads, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Facebook….everywhere, pick the platforms where your audience is already hanging out, master those platforms, then slowly expand. No need to rush or try to be everywhere all at once.

5. You’re Not Tracking Data to Measure Impact

If you spend five minutes talking with me about growth and marketing, I’ll probably mention analytics and data at least a dozen times. That’s because data is the bedrock of successful, efficient, and effective marketing.

The number of businesses that fail to track their marketing performance is mind-boggling. This is where I see so many people throwing their money away without realizing it.

If you don’t know what’s working, how do you think you can improve anything? Your campaigns, content, even community management need to be data-driven. That means regularly checking on click-through rates, conversion rates, ROI, and even engagement levels. Marketing without data is like driving a car without headlights at night – you’re not sure where you’re headed, but can only pray it’s not a brick wall or dead end.

6. You’re Not Engaging with Your Audience

If you’re posting on social media but not replying to comments, answering questions, or even just liking posts, then you’re missing the point. Engagement is a two-way street. The more you interact with your followers, the more loyal they become.

Many years ago, I started a new role that included managing social media marketing for my employer. One of the first things that jumped at me was that despite having thousands of followers, their engagement rate was flat. Why? Because they weren’t responding to their community. By simply engaging, replying to comments, and starting meaningful conversations, we got to change that picture. It doesn’t take much to engage with your audience, but it goes a long way.

7. Your Offer Isn’t Clear Enough

You can’t expect customers to buy if they don’t fully understand what you’re offering. Don’t make the mistake of being vague about the value your products or services offer. Even worse, don’t ever, EVER! try to be something to everyone. That’s a first-class ticket to the land where brand confusion, lack of identity and wasted time, money and efforts hold sway.

You need to make it crystal clear what the benefits are, who they are for and why someone in your target audience should buy from you instead of from the competition. Make your value proposition crystal clear and focus on what truly sets you apart.

Conclusion

Marketing is a never-ending process, and I know it can feel overwhelming at times. But if you’re already doing some of these things, it’s time to take another look at them and stop letting opportunities slip away. The best part is that you probably already have what you need to scale your business. You just have to use it properly, measure impact, and continually make improvements.

Know When to Hold On, When to Let Go: Lessons in Digital Growth from Kenny Rogers and a Bank That Wanted Customers

Posted on April 8, 2025April 17, 2025 by Lola Egboh

Key Takeaways

Give your strategy room to breathe, as not every hiccup means the idea is bad.
Look behind the scenes; poor conversions can be about process, not promotion.
Set a review window and decide beforehand how long you’ll wait before tweaking things.

One of my all-time favourite songs is The Gambler by Kenny Rogers. And no, it’s not just because of the old-school charm, it’s that line in the chorus: “You’ve got to know when to hold on, know when to fold up, know when to walk away, know when to run.”

That line has got grit, wisdom, and pops into my head quite a bit when it comes to creating a marketing strategy to drive growth. It’s not just good advice for gamblers. It’s excellent advice for anyone managing digital growth, especially when things aren’t moving as fast as expected.

When the Top of the Funnel Is Lying to You

A while ago, I was brought in to support a well-known Nigerian bank that wanted to scale its digital customer acquisition. They had the budget, the ambition, and a strong appetite for growth. Seemed like all the ingredients for success were ready, so let’s go, go, goooo!

I crafted a strategy that was clear, performance-focused, and designed to meet them where they were: with a strong brand, but a system that needed work.

We launched paid campaigns. Early numbers were encouraging, traffic was up (like, “pinch me, I’m dreaming” kind of up), engagement looked good, and we were attracting exactly the right kind of people. The top of the funnel was humming.

But then…little else.

To say sign-ups were underwhelming is an understatement. Haba! Kilode? What’s going on? Conversions were nowhere near where they should have been. The energy in the room started to shift. And as always happens in moments like this, someone asked: “Do we need to change the strategy?”

The Strategy Wasn’t the Problem

Now, if you’ve ever worked with large institutions, you know that sometimes, the real challenge isn’t always marketing. It’s systems. And, omo, this one had layers.

The customer journey after clicking the ad was… cloudy, to put it politely. Pages took forever to load. Required fields should not have been required (I mean, how exactly is the competition getting away without asking for all that? 🙄). And once users started the process, there was no telling what was going on with the entire journey until completion – it was just this huge, gaping black hole. As if that wasn’t enough, internal processes were cumbersome and slow, silos a-plenty. No one was fully accountable for giving the much-needed visibility into the customer journey.

So while the ads were doing their job, the backend was dropping the ball.

And, of course, the natural instinct especially from teams under pressure is to blame the campaign (and the overpriced growth consultant 🤣). Change the creative. Switch up the targeting. Redo the strategy.

But as Kenny said: you’ve got to know when to hold on.

Managing Panic, Pressure, and People

A major part of what I do as a marketing consultant is managing energy.

I had to walk stakeholders through the journey. Show them how the paid media was performing. Highlight the bottlenecks with data. Speak to team leads to understand internal issues. And in one or two cases… yes, beg certain people to do their jobs. (We’ve all been there.). I wish I could say I was always calm about it, but I snapped a few times, not going to lie.

It wasn’t glamorous, but it was necessary. Because if we’d panicked and changed the campaign based on surface-level metrics, we would’ve missed the real issue, and wasted even more time chasing pipe dreams.

Growth Needs Time (and Backbone)

Sometimes, the hardest part of executing a strategy is not tweaking it too soon. That takes guts, especially when the conversion numbers aren’t singing yet and it looks like the end is farrrrrrrrrrrrrr from sight.

But giving your strategy a definite timeline, backed by clear analytics and data, is how you avoid the trap of knee-jerk reactions. That’s how you differentiate between a bad strategy… and a good strategy buried under operational chaos.

So, What Did We Do?

Instead of changing the campaign, we shifted focus inward. I helped the client:

Map out the full customer journey, showing what was happening when and friction points
Clarify internal responsibilities for every stage of lead handling
Streamline their sign-up process to reduce confusion
Train key internal teams on urgency and accountability

Once the system got some love, conversions started ticking up. Not overnight. Not dramatically. But steadily. The strategy hadn’t changed. We’d just given it space to breathe and removed the blockers.

Don’t Let Panic Kill Good Strategy

So many marketing strategies fail not because they’re wrong, but because they aren’t given enough time to work. Or they’re simply plugged into systems that can’t support them (ko le werk rara!).

Growth takes more than ads and content. It takes alignment, follow-through, and the confidence to say, “Let’s wait this out a bit longer.” Because pulling the plug too soon can cost you results, valuable insights, and long-term traction.

How To Avoid Knee-Jerk Reactions in Growth Strategy

If you’re building or managing a digital acquisition campaign, here are a few tips to help you know when to tweak — and when to wait:

1. Set a Clear Review Timeline

Before launching, agree on when you’ll properly evaluate performance. Not based on daily anxiety or stakeholder pressure, but a planned date with real data.

2. Fix the System, Not Just the Strategy

If the numbers aren’t converting, zoom out. Look at what happens after the click. Is the experience smooth? Are the teams aligned? Is there a leak in the funnel?

3. Don’t Let Loud Voices Distract You

In every room, there’ll be someone who wants instant results. Smile, nod, and go back to your roadmap. Your job is to deliver results, not perform miracles in two days.

Conclusion: Sometimes, You Just Have to Hold

Growth is hard. Especially digital growth in a complex system. But if you’ve done the work, built a thoughtful strategy, and aligned it with business goals, give it time. Be patient. Watch the signals. And troubleshoot smartly.

Because as Kenny Rogers sang (and as any marketer worth their salt knows), there’s a time to hold, a time to fold, and a time to walk away. And sometimes? The smartest move is staying right where you are, and letting a good plan work.