The 5 Most Common Marketing Mistakes Made by SMEs (and How to Avoid Them)

In the business world, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are constantly seeking effective strategies to stand out and grow. However, inevitable marketing mistakes can hinder their development. Here are five common mistakes and tips to avoid them.


1 → Delegating Marketing to Non-Professionals

Assigning marketing tasks to non-specialized employees, such as accountants or colleagues, on top of their primary responsibilities, can be problematic. But why is it difficult? Marketing is a complex discipline requiring specific strategy, market analysis, and communication skills. Without this expertise, efforts may lack consistency and effectiveness, harming the company's image. This can also lead to poorly targeted campaigns, a tone that doesn’t fit the clientele, or an inconsistent brand image. The result? Wasted budgets, missed opportunities, and sometimes, a damaged reputation. In 2025—the era of image par excellence—it is increasingly important to have a consistent image across all your media. This image and this coherence will offer advantages such as the recognition of a well-structured company and an unmatched reputation, since your image and essence will be quickly recognized.

Moreover, according to a study by Statistics Canada, innovative companies that invest in specialized skills and their brand image experience faster sales growth than non-innovative ones.

Let’s take the example of a Montreal-based company in the home service sector. Hoping to save money, the manager assigns marketing to his administrative assistant, who is good with Canva. The result was unprofessional visuals, a poorly crafted Facebook strategy, and no results tracking. In just a few months, their image crumbles. That’s when they contact our agency, Parachute, and our team goes back to basics, works on the brand, defines clear personas, and redefines the communication channels. In 4 months, the SME becomes visible and credible again, increasing its sales by 40%.

In the end, hiring professionals from Parachute Studio Agence 360 to design and execute an effective marketing strategy is a solution that should not be overlooked. Marketing professionals bring an external, structured, and results-oriented perspective. They also know how to work in synergy with your internal teams without overloading them, ensuring alignment between your business goals and marketing actions. The key is not just to “post,” but to build a sustainable presence that inspires trust and converts. Don’t entrust your image to those who “know about it.” Entrust it to those who do it for a living.

2 → Considering Marketing as an Expense Rather Than an Investment

The most common mistake seen among small and medium-sized businesses that have never invested in marketing is ending up in the shadow of large companies that spend millions on marketing. The most frequent mistake is viewing the marketing budget as a financial burden with no tangible return.

Why is this problematic? This mindset is not only outdated but also dangerous for the long-term survival of an SME. Too often, executives consider marketing an expense to cut during turbulent times, when it should instead be seen as a growth lever. Marketing is not a passive cost like rent: it is an asset that, when properly managed, can yield more than it costs. Refusing to invest in marketing is like driving in the dark without headlights. Even with the best product in the world, if no one knows you exist, you don’t exist. Marketing is what makes you visible, credible, and desirable. It generates leads, turns interest into action, builds customer loyalty, and plants your brand in the public's mind.

According to Statistics Canada, businesses that invest in innovation and marketing demonstrate stronger financial performance. A study on innovation and business performance in Canada shows that innovative organizations (often with a strong marketing strategy) experience revenue growth that is 15% to 30% higher than others.

This case study is the perfect example: a Quebec-based natural cosmetics company had long underestimated the impact of marketing. Its founder used to say, "Let the product speak for itself." The result? Sluggish sales, almost no recognition outside its region, and a brand drowned in a sea of more visible competitors. They finally reached out to Parachute Studio Agence 360. Parachute redefined its image, identified a clear persona, redesigned its digital presence, and launched an Instagram/Facebook campaign with high-quality video content. In 3 months, the online store doubled its traffic, the average cart value increased by 15%, and the company was featured in a well-known beauty magazine.

In the end, adopting a long-term vision is necessary. Marketing is not a cost to minimize; it’s a pillar of growth. Collaborating with our agency, which understands the realities of SMEs and works with measurable tools, transforms every dollar invested into concrete action. SEO, social media, Facebook ads, storytelling, local or national visibility: every well-targeted effort builds your presence and reputation. In marketing, consistency pays off. And the longer you wait, the more your competitors pull ahead.

3 → Outsourcing Your Marketing: an investment, not an expense

Another common mistake: hesitating to outsource marketing due to fear of associated costs or a desire to keep everything in-house.

Why is this problematic? Many SMEs believe having someone in-house who "knows a bit about social media" or "understands how Facebook Ads work" is enough. Others prefer to "stay in control" and avoid paying an agency, trying to save money. However, this approach can seriously hinder growth.

Outsourcing to a specialized agency means accessing a whole team of professionals, each an expert in their field, capable of working in synergy. It also means accessing monitoring, analytics, creative, and automation tools that most SMEs don’t have. Moreover, according to another Statistics Canada study, companies collaborating with external experts for their strategic functions — including marketing — are more competitive and successful. They demonstrate stronger growth, better customer retention, and a stronger brand image.

Take, for example, a tech startup in cybersecurity based in Montreal. Their CTO was handling marketing between development sprints, with occasional help from an intern. The result? Few leads, amateur visuals, an outdated website, and Google ads that were running at a loss. They then contacted our advertising agency in Montreal, specializing in SMEs and tech startups. Our team revised their positioning, built an effective conversion funnel, relaunched their brand with a modern visual identity, and launched a LinkedIn Ads campaign targeting corporate decision-makers. The result was significant: +65% in qualified traffic in 3 months, and a contract from a major Canadian client.

Outsourcing your marketing doesn’t mean losing control. It means choosing to build a strong support team. An agency like Parachute Studio-Agence 360 becomes a strategic partner, not just a vendor. We collaborate, share goals, and adjust actions based on results. And above all, no more wasting time doing half-baked marketing.

With our agency, you benefit from an integrated approach (strategy, SEO, design, advertising, copywriting), clear reports, and personalized support. Whether in Montreal, Brossard, or Rimouski, working with an external marketing agency like Parachute Studio Agence 360 means betting on sustainable growth.

4 → Entrusting Marketing to the Wrong Person: A Risk of Failure

Yes, one of the most common mistakes we see is assigning marketing responsibilities to someone without training, experience, or fundamental strategic understanding of the field — and wrongly assuming that if there are no results, it must be because marketing doesn’t work.

Why is this problematic? Too many business owners confuse “knowing how to use a tool” with “knowing how to do marketing.” Having posted on Instagram before doesn’t make someone a digital marketing expert. What is the result when you give the strategy to someone unprepared, often overloaded with work, who acts more on intuition than planning? Campaigns become inconsistent, the brand image dilutes, and efforts don’t translate into visibility or sales.

This is not about willingness or raw talent: it’s about skills. Marketing today requires mastering algorithms, customer data, user journeys, automation tools, and the nuances of branding. Delegating this to someone untrained is like asking your mechanic to draft your employment contract.

Did you know that 60% of SMEs that fail in their growth initiatives had entrusted strategic functions to people without specific expertise?

For example, an SME in Longueuil's industrial equipment rental sector assigned its visibility strategy to a customer service employee “who liked social media.” For a year, no brand consistency, editorial line, off-target posts, and useless Facebook spending. After an audit by our agency, the team turned the situation around: a complete overhaul of the visual identity, SEO analysis, repositioning, content plan, and retargeting strategy. The result was that quote requests tripled, and local partnerships were signed in under six months.

The solution is simple: make sure marketing is in the hands of professionals. Our agency, which specializes in SMEs, provides strategists, content creators, graphic designers, and analysts who work hand in hand for your visibility. It’s not an expense — it’s a quality guarantee. With a 360 and turnkey approach, we avoid costly mistakes, unclear messages, and flat campaigns. Your brand image deserves better than sloppy treatment. It deserves precision, creativity, and a well-thought-out strategy.

5 → Underestimating the Importance of Consistency in Marketing

To wrap up our fifth point, one of the most common mistakes is launching occasional, irregular campaigns or reacting only when sales drop without a long-term strategy.

Why is this problematic? Awareness and trust are built through repeated, consistent efforts. Companies that appear regularly in their clients’ world become reference points. Conversely, those who communicate sporadically give an impression of instability or amateurism. Marketing is not just a one-shot operation: it’s an ongoing effort.

Many SMEs fall into the trap of doing marketing “when there’s time” or “when sales are slow.” The result? They never create habits with their potential customers. Yet, the rule of 7 touchpoints is well known: a person must be exposed to your message several times before taking action. And that’s only possible with consistency.

It’s worth noting that businesses following a continuous marketing plan achieve results up to 2.5 times higher than those with occasional actions.

Another example: a private clinic in Longueuil occasionally posted on Facebook, launched a Google ad only when their schedule was empty, and had a website untouched for three years. With intense competition in the medical field, results were stagnant. They contacted us after deciding to rethink their approach. The team implemented an editorial calendar, produced monthly content, optimized local SEO, and launched a continuous ad campaign. The result was clear: the clinic is now the first to appear on Google in its area and has doubled its patient base in one year.

Look at giants like McDonald's as a clear example of consistency paying off. Even with global recognition, the brand continues to invest massively in marketing year after year. You see them on TV, hear them on the radio. Why? Because consistency maintains their presence in the public mind. That’s why McDonald's comes to mind when considering fast food. That mental presence is no accident — it results from a continuous strategy.

Setting up a sustainable marketing strategy, with actions spread throughout the year, planned and adapted to each channel, will yield visible results in just a few months. An agency like Parachute can help you structure your efforts: publication calendars, recurring ad campaigns, trend monitoring, monthly reports… This foundational work builds recognition, trust, and ultimately, conversions.

Want to stay at the top of your mind with your clients? Be visible—all the time, not just when things go wrong.

Read more : McDonald's is investing $100M in marketing and franchisee financial assistance

Expertise professionnelle + soutien IA = contenu de qualité

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