You're Talking to the Wrong Crowd

Good Morning!

1. Feature: You’re Talking to the Wrong Crowd (3 min)

2. From the Archive:

   • Cash Flow Forecasting Errors That Sink New Ventures

   • A Board of Directors for your LLC?

-TCoL

Missed our last feature article? Retention First: Build the System That Keeps Good Customers

The Real Problem Isn’t the Maze, It’s the Map

Small and mid-sized business owners are drowning in marketing options. AI, SEO, email, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google Ads, trade shows, “personal branding,” content calendars, influencer collaborations. The list never ends.

Most of it doesn’t work. Not because you’re doing it wrong, but because you’re doing it for the wrong people.

The test of any marketing tactic isn’t what’s trending. It’s whether it reaches people who recommend you, hire you, or write checks for what you sell.
That’s your benchmark, your filter, your way out of the noise.

We call it the RHW Test. For SMBs burned out by noise, cash burn, and declining results, it’s the difference between clarity and chaos.

Why Most Marketing Feels Like a Hamster Wheel

Most owners don’t set out to waste time. But overload creeps in through false urgency.

You feel behind because you’re not posting every day.
You feel pressure to attend that shiny expo “just to be seen.”
You invest in tools before you’re sure what you need.

What starts as strategy becomes performance burnout.

Applause isn’t the goal. Revenue is. And revenue follows a pattern: it flows through people who recommend, hire, or write you checks. Miss that, and your marketing turns into an expensive show.

Case Study: A Seawall Company’s Wake-Up Call

A seawall construction firm was spending heavily on marketing, yet leads stayed flat. They ran statewide ads, went to national expos, posted across every platform. The results were inconsistent and exhausting.

Then they looked at every deal from the prior 12 months.

• 60% came from general contractors who found them on bid platforms like PlanHub.

• 20% came from architects they met at local AIA events.

• 15% came from property managers via Google searches.

• 5% came directly from property owners.

Only five percent from property owners. That surprised them. So they made one rule: if a tactic didn’t reach someone who recommends, hires, or writes checks, they cut it.

They skipped a five-figure national expo where few RHWs attended. Dropped broad-target ads and Instagram. Instead, they sponsored a booth at an AIA event, focused LinkedIn content on contractor bid wins, and optimized Google Business Profile for regional coastal projects.

Within two years, leads rose 40%, revenue climbed 25%, and marketing costs fell 30%. The stress didn’t disappear, but it became the good kind.
Their new mantra: No RHW, no spend.

The RHW Test: Your New Marketing Filter

Use this test to evaluate every channel, campaign, or event.

Ask:
Will this encourage someone to recommend my product?
Will it convince someone who can hire me?
Will it reach the person writing the check?

If the answer is no, you’re performing for the wrong crowd.
If the answer is yes, go deeper, test smarter, and spend strategically.

Buffett once said, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”

The RHW Test shows you exactly what and who to say no to.

Step-by-Step: How to Apply the RHW Test

1. Set RHW-Backed Goals

Don’t just aim for “more leads.” Instead: “15% more bids from general contractors in six months.” Use deal history to identify your top RHWs by role and location.

2. Pick Two High-RHW Channels

Where do your RHWs live? LinkedIn? PlanHub? Google? Start with two. Prove value before expanding.

3. Create RHW-Specific Content

For seawall contractors: Bid-Ready Specs: Seawall Build Guide.
For architects: Five Mistakes in Coastal Design That Blow Budgets.

4. Track What RHWs Engage With

Use Google Analytics, PlanHub stats, or CRM tags.
If Instagram gets likes but no leads, stop posting.

5. Automate, Then Prune

Use Buffer or Mailchimp to schedule and review quarterly.
Keep only what RHWs see or act on. Everything else is noise.

Trade Shows: The Most Expensive Vanity Trap

Trade shows and expos can be ego-driven money pits unless you attend consistently and establish expertise.

You spend $10,000 to $20,000 on a booth, hotel, and materials. Who shows up? Other vendors. Other SMBs. People are also looking for someone to write them a check.

Unless a show is packed with RHWs for your product, you’re spending thousands to impress people who can’t buy from you.

If you’re curious about an event, walk the floor first. Never pay for a booth or a speaking slot until you confirm your RHWs are there.

Tools for Smarter RHW Marketing

Design

• Canva (Free / $14.99): Simple visuals, templates.

• Adobe Express: Fast, clean spec sheets.

Scheduling

• Buffer (Free / $6): Good for LinkedIn and Google Business Profile.

• Later: Useful for visuals if you still post occasionally.

Email

• Beehiiv (Free / $39): Great for newsletters to RHWs.

• Mailchimp: Automated follow-ups for RHW leads.

Analytics

• Google Analytics: Track RHW landing pages.

• Hotjar: See what RHWs click or skip.

Keyword Research

• Ubersuggest: Find RHW-friendly terms like “marine contractor bid help.”

• AnswerThePublic: Turn RHW questions into content ideas.

Six Practical RHW Habits for Busy Owners

1. Audit Every Deal Monthly: Who referred, who paid, what channel?

2. Cap Trade Show Spend: Set a low max budget unless RHWs attend.

3. Time-Block Content: One hour twice a month. Write for RHWs only.

4. Cut 90-Day Underperformers: If RHWs aren’t responding, shift.

5. Hire Freelancers for RHW Tasks Only: SEO for PlanHub? Worth it. Generic social posts? Skip them.

6. Ignore Vanity Metrics: Views and likes don’t pay bills. Revenue does.

Final Word: RHW or Bust

Marketing shouldn’t be a guessing game. Find the people who recommend, hire, or write checks — then focus everything on them.

RHW isn’t a slogan. It’s a compass.

When your marketing passes that test, it works harder with less effort.
When it fails, it drains time and money you can’t afford.

Market for revenue, not attention.
Let RHW guide the way.

Sponsor Spotlight

TaxElm: Unlimited access to expert tax strategists and a complete roadmap—from design to implementation—to help you legally pay the least in taxes. Explore our process here or book a discovery call with Matt Grimmer from our team.

Have an interesting business question and need a free bit of advice? Send your question to [email protected]. No confidential info, please!