Assumptions fossilize. The person closest to the customer often sees the obvious flaw that leadership misses.
Run a lead magnet ad (e.g., “Free checklist”). The landing page’s only goal is email signup. Then sell via email. Principle 7: The Weekly “Stupid Question” Review Every Friday, the team asks one anonymous question that feels “stupid” (e.g., “Why do we call that feature ‘Turbo’ when it just makes things slower?”). scott koenig essential marketing principles
| Rung | Segment | Goal | Marketing Action | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Cold (Unaware) | Get attention | Broad education, SEO, PR | | Middle | Warm (Considering) | Build trust | Case studies, comparison guides, email nurture | | Bottom | Hot (Ready to buy) | Convert | Demo, coupon, risk reversal (guarantee) | Koenig’s Rule: Spend 70% of your budget on the Middle rung. Most brands overspend on Top (awareness) or Bottom (retargeting ads). Principle 2: The “So What?” Test for Messaging Before publishing any headline or ad, ask: “Why should the customer care?” If you can’t answer in 5 seconds, rewrite. Assumptions fossilize
