7 Common Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Do you need a degree to be good at marketing?

Like many jobs, the internet and AI have allowed “non-professionals” to shine in a variety of fields and roles, including marketing.

While a degree can offer you a broader perspective, I feel that with time, patience, and drive, you can absolutely be successful in your company’s marketing without one. (I know that’s not a popular opinion with everyone.)

I also believe that if you’re doing your own marketing or starting a marketing agency, the most important thing to remember is: you will go through an awkward, slightly embarrassing phase with your content. It’s a rite of passage, and it has to happen in order for you to succeed.

1. Trying to Learn Everything at Once

SEO, email marketing, paid ads, copywriting, social media strategy... it's a lot. One of the fastest ways to burn out is trying to master every skill at the same time. Go Deep with one subject, NOT wide with a variety of topics. 

Avoid it: Pick one area to focus on and go deep. For example, spend 3 to 6 months really understanding content marketing or learning how to write better email sequences. You'll make faster progress by building skill layer by layer,

not all at once.

2. Only Watching, Never Doing

It’s tempting to binge YouTube tutorials or scroll through marketing threads all day. But watching alone won’t build your skills.

Avoid it: Practice what you’re learning even if it’s just for a fake brand or passion project. Create a sample campaign, write your own email flow, or redesign a homepage. Execution turns knowledge into confidence. Or find a friend and ask can you practice on their brand, even if they never post or utilize the content. 

3. Skipping the Fundamentals

Chasing tactics like “how to go viral” before understanding your audience, offer, or brand strategy is a fast track to confusion.

Avoid it: Start with the basics. Who are you helping? What do they care about? What problem do you solve? Strategy will always outlast short-term hacks.

4. Copying Without Context

Just because a tactic worked for someone on TikTok doesn’t mean it’ll work for you. Blindly copying trends without knowing why they worked leads to wasted effort.

Avoid it: Study the why behind the what. If you see a marketing tactic that worked, ask: What was the goal? Who was the audience? What made it resonate?

5. Not Building a Personal Brand

If no one knows you’re learning, how will they trust you when you’re ready to help? Many new marketers wait to “become an expert” before showing up online.

Avoid it: Start sharing your journey now. Talk about what you're learning, what you're testing, and what you're curious about. You don’t need to be perfect—just real.

6. Ignoring Soft Skills

Marketing isn’t just about numbers and tools. Communication, empathy, and storytelling are the secret sauce that separates good marketers from great ones.

Avoid it: Practice writing, listening, and understanding people. The best marketers connect like humans first, strategists second.

7. Giving Up Too Soon

Real talk: marketing takes time. You won’t master it in a week, a month, or even a year. Growth can be slow at first but consistency compounds.

Avoid it: Be patient with yourself. Set small, achievable goals and celebrate progress. The longer you stick with it, the better you get.

Final Thoughts: No one starts as a pro. Mistakes are part of the process—but they don’t have to stop you. Focus on one step at a time, keep learning, keep doing, and stay human. That’s how real marketers grow.