Why does marketing sometimes fail? A company can get so fired up about a new product that nobody asks customers how they feel about it. Marketing initiatives can get executed, sometimes reactively, without being fully aligned with the overall business strategy. Money is spent on messages that don’t differentiate, because you’re saying the same things your competitors are.

All these mis-steps have one thing in common: reality is being overlooked. Realities about your customers, your competitors, your business environment, even yourself. Don’t start without a strategy that comes out of a true assessment of reality.

How much can you really do with what you have?
No matter what size your budget is, it's never enough. Given your financial realities, you need to allocate resources effectively. And revise your expectations. An axiom is to never to spread yourself too thin. Prioritize. Spend on the initiatives that will make the most difference. Be consistent. Don’t expect a one-shot tactic to change the world.

Avoid cutting the wrong corners. No shabby websites – your site is the first place people come to check you out. No deadly text-packed PowerPoints. And if you’re going to spend money advertising, don't pinch pennies on producing the ad that tells your story or the online unit that gets the click.