Modern marketing has never been more sophisticated.
Leaders and marketers have access to endless tools, data dashboards, automation platforms and optimisation frameworks. Yet many organisations are finding that their marketing performance is declining, not improving.
In this conversation on the Just Great People podcast, Barry Eustance speaks with Tracy Borreson about why businesses have become overwhelmed by complexity and disconnected from the customers they are trying to reach.
Tracy argues that the solution is not more technology, but a return to something far more powerful: human connection.
The Problem: Marketing Has Become Too Complicated
Most organisations assume complexity is a natural part of growth.
As Tracy points out, this belief often leads to
unnecessary systems, over-engineered funnels and a reliance on data that doesn’t reflect true customer behaviour.
Instead of clarity, businesses end up with:
- Overwhelmed marketing teams
- Expensive tools producing very little return
- Automated workflows that distance the brand from real people
- A drop in conversion rates despite increased activity
Barry highlights a challenge many leaders face: if everything is being measured, nothing meaningful gets done. And because teams are trying to do everything, they lack the time and head space to do the things that genuinely matter.
The Human Touch Is Missing
Tracy describes a global trend: companies are replacing conversations with automation. Marketers are being trained to distribute content, not build relationships. Junior marketers are expected to manage channels they barely understand. And sales teams rely on templates instead of dialogue.
But the companies that consistently outperform their competitors? They still talk to their customers.
A single real conversation provides more insight than a hundred automated surveys. It reveals:
- What customers value
- What frustrates them
- What makes them choose one brand over another
- How they want to be spoken to
This depth of understanding cannot be automated. It requires time, curiosity and genuine human engagement.
Why Micro-Experiments Matter
Tracy introduces a concept that every business can use: micro-experiments.
Rather than redesigning an entire marketing strategy, leaders can run small, targeted tests that generate insight quickly and at low cost.
This approach avoids vanity metrics and instead focuses on activities that influence:
- Customer engagement
- Sales performance
- Brand perception
- Conversion rates
A micro-experiment might include testing a new message, simplifying a workflow or speaking directly to a group of customers to validate an idea.
These small shifts often reveal more than a six-month analytics report.
The Farmer’s Market Test
Tracy uses a simple analogy: if you had to sell your product at a farmer’s market, how would you stand out?
This exercise cuts through the noise and highlights what really matters:
- What would attract someone to your stand?
- How would you start a conversation?
- What would you offer that feels personal and compelling?
The best marketing strategies are rooted in these same principles. They prioritise connection, simplicity and authenticity over complexity and automation.
The Return of Relationship-Led Marketing
Both Barry and Tracy believe the core skill missing in marketing today is conversation. The organisations that thrive are the ones that:
- Speak directly with customers
- Build trust through meaningful dialogue
- Empower their teams to be curious
- Use technology to support conversations, not replace them
This shift also redefines marketing as an investment, not a cost. When leaders prioritise human connection, clarity returns and performance improves.
Where Leaders Can Start
If your marketing feels overwhelming, resource-heavy or ineffective, consider these starting points:
- Simplify your systems and eliminate any tools that don’t produce direct value.
- Talk to customers before making changes to your strategy.
- Run micro-experiments to test assumptions quickly.
- Encourage curiosity across sales, marketing and customer-facing teams.
- Use automation carefully, ensuring it enhances relationships rather than replacing them.
These shifts build a marketing function that is simpler, smarter and more aligned to how humans actually make decisions.
Explore the Full Conversation
Listen to the full discussion with Tracy and Barry to dive deeper into the challenges and opportunities shaping modern marketing.
Learn more about Tracy’s work here: Tracy Borreson: https://tracyborreson.com/
Explore more leadership insights from The Sixsess Consultancy:
Home: https://sixsess.org/
Insights Blog: https://sixsess.org/insights/blog/
Keywords
- human-centred marketing
- simplifying marketing systems
- authentic communication in business
- customer insight for leaders
- relationship-based selling
- return on marketing investment
- modern marketing challenges
- digital overwhelm in business
- micro-experiments in marketing
- sales and marketing alignment
- leadership communication skills
- customer research techniques