In a recent conversation with Svenja from Lyon Creatives, she shared a story that perfectly illustrates why so many marketing teams are burning out. A young girl watched her mother cut the ends off a chicken before roasting it. When asked why, the mother replied, “I donāt know. Thatās how it should be done. And thatās how my mother always did it.” Later, the girl asked her grandmother the same question. The answer? “Because back then, my roasting pan was too small to fit the whole chicken.”
The marketing “chicken ends.”
We often do the same in marketing. We publish daily social media posts or complex reports because “thatās how itās always been done.” But in a world where 70% of CEOs donāt trust marketing to deliver growth, we must have the courage to ask: Is this task actually helping our sales team close a deal today? Or is it just a “chicken end” we are cutting off because we haven’t updated our “pots”?
Alignment over activity
Busy-ness is the enemy of effectiveness. Branding and awareness are vital, but the highest potential for ROI often lies in conversations that donāt cost a cent in ad spend:
- The sales bridge: Does your content actually arm your sales team with the answers they need?
- The retention loop: Are you serving your existing leads better, or just chasing new ones?
- The “Not-to-do” list: What three activities are producing zero results that you can stop doing today to protect your team’s MIP (Most Important Person) Time?
Hurry slowly
To go fast across borders and markets, we must first slow down to build our internal systems. We need a shared architecture where marketing isn’t a standalone silo, but a “Single fist” team working toward the same Point B.
Listen & learn
If youāre ready to audit your own “marketing pot” and stop the directionless firefighting, I invite you to listen to the full podcast episode here.
And don’t forget to get your copy of The Greatest Marketer: thegreatestmarketer.com
FAQs
What does ābusiness as usualā mean in marketing?
It refers to doing marketing tasks out of habit rather than strategy. In this blog, it means continuing activities that may no longer support growth or ROI.
Why can business as usual hurt ROI?
Because teams can waste time on tasks that look productive but do not move sales, retention, or alignment forward. Over time, that creates busy work instead of a measurable impact.
How do I know if my marketing activities are outdated?
Ask whether each activity helps sales, serves current leads, or improves retention. If it only exists because āweāve always done it,ā it may be time to review it.
What is the āchicken endsā idea in this blog?
It is a metaphor for repeating old marketing habits without questioning why they exist. The point is to check whether your current process still fits your goals and resources.
What is the sales bridge in marketing?
The sales bridge is the connection between marketing content and the questions buyers need answered before they purchase. Strong alignment here can help teams close deals more effectively.
What is the retention loop?
The retention loop is the idea of serving existing leads and customers well instead of focusing only on new audience growth. It often creates better long-term value with less waste.
What is a ānot-to-doā list?
A not-to-do list is a short list of activities that are producing little or no return. Removing them helps protect time, reduce burnout, and improve focus on high-value work.
How can marketing teams stop firefighting?
They can slow down long enough to build better systems, align priorities, and agree on the most important outcomes. Clear planning and shared direction reduce wasted effort and rework.
