Once your messaging is right, everything else gets easier.
You attract better customers. You spend less to acquire them, and they stick around longer.
A real world example
I worked with a company helping UK businesses meet their sustainability targets.
They wanted to grow. I suggested Google Ads.
“We’ve already tried Google Ads. Doesn’t work. Wasted thousands.”
They cared deeply about the planet, so their ads were filled with “climate emergency” and “net zero” talk.
The problem? Their clients didn’t care nearly as much. They just wanted to tick a compliance box and move on.
We swapped the messaging from “save the planet” to “fast, hassle-free compliance.”
We turned Google Ads back on. Cost per acquisition dropped 80%.
With the right message, almost any channel can work. Cold outreach, warm outreach, paid ads, referrals, affiliates, they all work if the maths does.
What Actually Works
Focus first on channels where people are already looking for what you offer (think Google Ads). It’s far easier than building demand from nothing (think cold calling).
You’ll know your message is working when the right people start responding. Leads come in, calls get booked, and you’re seeing genuine buying intent.
That’s the signal to zoom out and understand the whole buying life cycle before scaling up.
Does sales convert the lead?
Does fulfilment deliver on the promise?
Can the business actually handle an influx of new work with existing resources?
If there are any bottlenecks, they must be fixed before you scale.
Then it’s a matter of picking the acquisition channel that’s going to deliver the most ROI.
Test each channel through a simple lens:
Acquisition Cost (CAC): What does it really cost to win a customer?
Upfront Cash: How much comes in immediately?
Service Cost: (COGS) What does it cost to deliver what you’ve sold?
A channel only deserves scale when each new customer covers both COGS and CAC within 30 days.
If revenues don’t cover COGS + CAC at 30 days, then the product offer needs to be structured to get more cash up front.
That’s how you grow without draining cash.
The core mistake most businesses make is spreading themselves too thin, trying to be everywhere with half-hearted efforts across multiple channels.
Once you understand the unit economics of a profitable channel, your only job is to scale that one as far as it will go before even thinking about adding another.
Fast growth will often reveal inefficiencies as the business struggles to keep up with demand, which is why the right systems are so important for continued success.
