Why Small Businesses Need Strategy Before Marketing with Darlene Ziebell
From Looking Forward Our Way by Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson
May 4, 2026 · 35 min · Season 8 · Episode 164
About this episode
Darlene Ziebell discusses the importance of strategic alignment in marketing for small businesses.
If you’re leading a business or organization and want to separate marketing myth from practical strategy, this conversation will give you the clarity—and courage—to build real momentum for growth. We sit down with returning guest Darlene Ziebell—an accomplished entrepreneur, business consultant, strategy specialist, and multi-book author—to unpack the real story behind successful marketing for small businesses. As business owners face rising costs, dwindling customer bases, and mounting challenges, the temptation to lean on marketing as a quick fix has never been stronger. But is throwing money at the latest digital tools or platforms really the answer? Darlene Ziebell draws on more than 30 years of experience, from founding her own seven and eight-figure companies to consulting for both startups and Fortune 1000 giants, to reveal why most companies struggle—not from lack of effort, but from missing strategic alignment. In this episode, you’ll hear why marketing works best as an integrated ecosystem, not just a checklist of trending tactics; how vanity metrics can lead you astray; and the critical difference between having a real business strategy and chasing every shiny new…
People in this episode
Hosts: Carol Ventresca, Brett Johnson
Guest: Darlene Ziebell
Topics covered
- small business strategy
- marketing
- entrepreneurship
- business growth
- digital marketing
Keywords
- small business
- marketing strategy
- entrepreneur
- business consultant
- digital tools
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Fortune 1000
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