What “I Hate Marketing” really means

I talk to my clients a lot about marketing and sales. It’s not because I have spent decades in marketing (I haven’t) or because I feel very passionate about (I don’t).

It’s because Marketing and Sales is where so many of my clients get stuck. 

For most of my clients, it’s also completely new territory. In past roles, they’ve likely dabled in budgeting so they can financially forecast. They've thought about stakeholder needs, so can they can speak to what their ideal client wants. 

But being public about their views? Highlighting their work without someone asking for it? Pushing their creative boundaries? Pitching themselves? That’s all new. 

Plus, when it comes to sales, a 30-50% close rate is good. So rejection just comes with the territory. If it’s just you, that rejection is going to feel very personal - even if it’s not. 

So when a client says “I hate marketing” or “selling is the absolute worse” - I believe them, and I wonder what is really going on.

Here is what they tell me:

I worry what my old boss will think about my career change.

People will just think that I’m selling and selling.

Nobody wants to hear from me.

I don’t have enough experience for people to take me seriously.

What if I put myself out there and fail?

What if my opinions change?

What if it’s not perfect?

I don’t really know what I’m doing yet.

Won’t clients just come to me if I’m good?

And even deeper still: The fear that the business won’t succeed and what that will mean about them as a person. That they were foolish to try. That those voices in their heads that told them this was too risky - were right. 

I’ve worked with enough clients to know that these thoughts, often referred to as limiting beliefs, are not grounded in data. They are often old thinking patterns that were once protective, but are no longer helpful. Still, they are there, and they can bring marketing and sales efforts to a halt. 

So I’m here to tell you: Yes, you need to do marketing and sales. Be easy on yourself because there is no reason that you should know how to do this if you haven’t done it before. You can learn. You’re not alone. You can start slow. Start by naming the real discomfort behind “I hate marketing and sales.” 

I'm right there with you. 

Before I started this business, I launched another one focused on helping people move abroad. I wanted to soft launch it, see if I liked it, see what might come of it. To test it out, I needed clients. Which meant I needed to tell people about it.

A friend said, “Just start slow. Post it on LinkedIn, nobody will see it. You can ease into the marketing.” So I did.

What I didn’t realize was that LinkedIn loves new job announcements. Those posts go straight to the top of everyone’s feed. So everyone saw it... this idea, with a not-quite-right landing page, for a business that in retrospect I wasn’t even sure I wanted to run.

Within a few months, I realized that the clients that I did get wanted support on where they could legally work, understanding cost of living and life logistics — topics I wasn’t passionate about. So I moved on.

I was fine moving on. My business today is exactly what I want to be doing. But, I was embarrassed to announce it. Those same thoughts I now hear from my clients were swirling in my own head.

I did it anyway, with a pit in my stomach. Sometimes that pit shows up again. But I survived. And every time I try, test, and move forward, that muscle of resilience and confidence gets stronger.

So here’s something for you to ponder.

When you tell yourself, “I hate marketing,” can you name what’s underneath that? Because once you can name it, you can work with it.

If your marketing feels inauthentic, ask yourself: What kind of work actually energizes me? How can I do more of that while telling more people about what I do?

If you’re worried about what people in your life might say, try the Inner Boardroom exercise.

If you’re afraid your business will fail, use the financial tool to look at the facts: your runway, your expenses, your next best move.

Because the feeling are rarely about marketing itself. They are about having a business that is ready to be promoted, and what that means: visibility, vulnerability, and the courage to be seen doing something new.