Mark | GCMO

Building Authority Without Being a Jerk

Building Authority Without Being a Jerk

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by

Mark Gabrielli
in

Marketing Isn’t Magic—It’s Math (With Better Fonts)

Marketing Isn’t Magic—It’s Math (With Better Fonts)

Building Authority Without Being a Jerk

Let’s get one thing straight: marketing isn’t a mystical art practiced by hoodie-wearing wizards whispering to the algorithm gods. It’s not a vibe. It’s not a TikTok dance. It’s not even “going viral” (whatever that means anymore—your grandma’s banana bread recipe went viral in 2020, and she’s not a CMO).

Marketing is math. It’s strategy. It’s systems. And yes, it’s a little bit of style—but only after the spreadsheet says it’s worth it.

The Myth of the Marketing Unicorn

Somewhere along the way, we started believing that great marketing is about “big ideas” and “brand storytelling” and “emotional resonance.” And sure, those things matter. But if your CAC is higher than your LTV, your “emotional resonance” is just a very expensive poem.

Let’s kill the unicorn. Not literally (we’re not monsters), but metaphorically. Because the real magic in marketing comes from understanding your numbers, building repeatable systems, and scaling what works—not chasing glittery nonsense.

The Funnel Isn’t Dead—You Just Don’t Know How to Use It

Every few months, someone declares the marketing funnel is dead. Usually, it’s someone trying to sell you a new funnel. Here’s the truth: the funnel isn’t dead. You just stopped feeding it.

Here’s a quick refresher for those who’ve been too busy naming their brand’s tone of voice after a Game of Thrones character:

  • Top of Funnel (TOFU): Awareness. This is where you stop shouting into the void and start getting noticed.
  • Middle of Funnel (MOFU): Consideration. This is where you educate, nurture, and prove you’re not just another SaaS with a cute mascot.
  • Bottom of Funnel (BOFU): Conversion. This is where the money lives. Don’t screw it up with a 17-field form and a CTA that says “Learn More.”

Want to know why your funnel isn’t working? Because you’re treating it like a Pinterest board instead of a revenue engine.

Framework: The 3Ms of Marketing That Doesn’t Suck

Let’s simplify this. If your marketing isn’t working, it’s probably because you’re missing one (or more) of the 3Ms:

  • Message: What are you saying, and why should anyone care? If your value prop sounds like it was written by ChatGPT on a NyQuil bender, start over.
  • Mechanism: How are you delivering that message? Email? Ads? Carrier pigeon? Pick the right channel for your audience, not your ego.
  • Measurement: Are you tracking what matters? Vanity metrics are for influencers. Real marketers track pipeline, CAC, LTV, and conversion rates like their bonus depends on it—because it does.

Get all three right, and you’re not just marketing—you’re printing money (legally, of course).

Case Study: The SaaS Startup That Stopped Guessing

Let me tell you about a SaaS company we’ll call “Widgetly” (because I signed an NDA and I’m not trying to get sued).

Widgetly was spending $50K/month on paid ads and getting… crickets. Their CEO thought the problem was “brand awareness.” I thought the problem was they were lighting money on fire and calling it strategy.

We did three things:

  • Rebuilt their funnel with clear CTAs and fewer steps than a toddler’s bedtime routine
  • Refined their messaging to focus on outcomes, not features (nobody cares about your dashboard, Chad)
  • Set up proper attribution so we could see what was actually working

Result? CAC dropped by 42%, MQLs doubled, and the CEO stopped crying into his kombucha. All in 90 days.

Truth Bomb:

“Marketing isn’t about being clever. It’s about being clear, consistent, and just clever enough to get the click.”

If your marketing strategy changes every time a new social platform launches, you don’t have a strategy—you have a panic disorder.

Here’s what to do instead:

  • Build a repeatable acquisition engine. One that works whether or not you post on LinkedIn that day.
  • Invest in content that compounds. SEO, email, and evergreen assets are your 401(k), not your lottery ticket.
  • Automate the boring stuff. If you’re still manually sending nurture emails in 2024, I have questions.

Trends are fun. Systems make money. Choose wisely.

Final Word: Be the CFO’s Favorite Marketer

Look, I love a good brand campaign as much as the next marketer. But if you want to keep your seat at the table (and not get replaced by a spreadsheet), you need to speak the language of revenue.

That means knowing your numbers. That means proving ROI. That means being the marketer the CFO actually wants to have a beer with—not the one they side-eye during budget season.

So stop chasing unicorns. Start building engines. And remember: marketing isn’t magic—it’s math. With better fonts.

Ready to Market Like a Grown-Up?

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