Marketing Misconceptions, Owning Your Content, and Avoiding Marketing Scams: A Guide for Small Creative Businesses
Marketing for small creative businesses is often misunderstood. Many business owners think marketing equals direct sales — that posting a product or service automatically generates revenue. Others fall for flashy promises: MLMs, high-ticket coaching funnels, or “free” masterclasses that ultimately lead to expensive retainers. These approaches are confusing, costly, and often not designed for businesses like yours.
At Modern Social, we believe marketing starts differently: with your audience, your data, and your story. True marketing is about building trust, credibility, and relationships — not chasing shortcuts that promise fast results but often lock you in or waste your time. This post will help you see common pitfalls, understand how to build a solid marketing foundation, and show how working with the right partners can help you grow sustainably.
1. Common Marketing Scams and to Avoid
Some agencies and coaches try to lure you in with long “free” webinars or downloads, only to pitch a high-ticket service or retainer. As an advertiser, I see ads, about ADS. There are many agencies sharing free information only for you to join a prerecorded/ai webinar that doesn’t actually share action steps or you to buy a cheap few-dollar option, before trying to upsell you. I’ve taken a look at several of these and find it frustrating how long it takes your time and budget to find any answers. In my opinion, it is not worth the frustration and time it takes.
Even local businesses can pose risks if you’re not careful. Take Blanchard Media, LLC, based in Acton, MA. According to the Better Business Bureau, they’ve had 15 complaints in the past three years related to marketing courses and coaching upsells. Some reviewers report that the company promotes a “Hero AI” course at a relatively low entry price, only to push an “Inner Circle” coaching program costing several thousand dollars to actually get the support promised. Customers describe it as a classic bait-and-switch: what seems affordable at first quickly becomes expensive, and the terms aren’t always clear.
“Even local marketing coaches can use high-pressure upsells — always check reviews and ask hard questions first.”
Research‑Backed Red Flags from Academia
There’s strong academic research showing that some coaching and marketing programs mirror exploitative or pyramid-style models.
Economist Yair Antler shows that some MLMs are deliberately structured to resemble pyramid schemes. (econstor.eu)
Huntington & Brooks found MLM websites often use aspirational, gendered language to make the business model look legitimate. (ijoc.org)
Legal research by Bradley & Oates documents the “MLM pandemic” post-COVID, highlighting the risk of financial loss. (tennesseelawreview.org)
Raina Brands emphasizes how social pressure tactics in MLMs prioritize recruitment over product sales. (law.georgetown.edu)
“Marketing starts with your audience, your data, and your story — not with a high-ticket pitch or flashy promise.”
What you can do instead: Ask hard questions about real costs, commitments, and expected outcomes before investing in any program. Start by building your own audience and content, then test small campaigns before committing heavily.
2. Build Your Foundation: Audience, Data, and Trust
Marketing isn’t just sales — it’s about understanding your audience and building relationships.
Start with these steps:
Identify your ideal customer: who they are, what they care about, and where they spend time online.
Create content that connects: share your process, story, and why your work matters.
Collect data via polls, surveys, or direct feedback. Adjust your content and approach based on what resonates.
Build credibility through testimonials, case studies, and social proof over time.
“True marketing builds trust and relationships, not just immediate sales.”
Sources: HubSpot Marketing Trends Report (2023), Sprout Social Index (2022–2023), Constant Contact Small Business Reports (2024–2025).
3. Own Your Website and Content
Owning your website and content is critical for long-term growth. Platforms like UENI may have hidden costs, limited customization, and high switching barriers. Wix is outdated in usability and can create headaches for small businesses.
Better options include:
Squarespace — clear pricing and scalability for larger sites.
Xuni — designed for small creative businesses, transparent and flexible.
Tips:
Audit any platform before committing.
Compare features, upgrade options, and total costs.
Own your domain and hosting.
Treat your website as a learning lab: test ideas, track analytics, and showcase your work.
“Owning your website and content gives you control over your growth, not just your storefront.”
Sources: Capterra UENI Reviews (2025), SoftwareAdvice UENI Reviews (2025).
4. How Modern Social Does It Differently
At Modern Social, we focus on you, your audience, and your creative business goals — not pushing high-ticket funnels.
Our approach:
Transparent pricing — know exactly what you’re paying for.
Collaborative — you own your content, we help it grow.
Data-driven — we track engagement and results to refine marketing.
Tailored for creatives — no one-size-fits-all approach.
“We don’t force funnels on you — we help you grow sustainably, on your terms.”
We back our work with real clients: authors and small-business founders who say we helped them grow their reach, build meaningful engagement, and stay true to their voice. Our service process, social media packages, and metrics are all clearly outlined. You can always ask for references or speak with clients before signing up.
5. Actionable Steps for Creative Small Businesses
Step-by-step roadmap:
Audit website platforms — compare features, upgrades, and total costs.
Own your website — it’s your online home base for experimentation and growth.
Test campaigns on a small scale — collect data and iterate.
Build your audience — polls, surveys, and content engagement give actionable insights.
Partner wisely — work with agencies or collaborators that prioritize your goals and audience.
“Small actions like polls, surveys, and feedback help you collect the data to grow smarter.”
6. Conclusion: Building With Purpose
Marketing doesn’t have to be a hustle or gamble. At Modern Social, we help creative business owners build something real:
Content that reflects your voice
Data-driven growth
Systems that evolve with your business
“Ask for references and talk to real clients before committing — transparency matters.”
Our focus is clarity over hype, relationships over funnels, and sustainable growth over quick fixes. That’s how you scale with purpose, not pressure.
Key Pull-Quotes
“Marketing starts with your audience, your data, and your story — not with a high-ticket pitch or flashy promise.”
“Even local marketing coaches can use high-pressure upsells — always check reviews and ask hard questions first.”
“Owning your website and content gives you control over your growth, not just your storefront.”
“True marketing builds trust and relationships, not just immediate sales.”
“We don’t force funnels on you — we help you grow sustainably, on your terms.”
“Ask for references and talk to real clients before committing — transparency matters.”
“Small actions like polls, surveys, and feedback help you collect the data to grow smarter.”
References / Sources (2022–2025)
Better Business Bureau. Blanchard Media, LLC Complaints. 2023–2025. BBB Link
HubSpot. State of Marketing Report — 2023. HubSpot Link
Sprout Social. Sprout Social Index™ 2023. Sprout Link
Constant Contact. Small Business Confidence & Marketing Reports, 2024–2025. Constant Contact Link
Capterra. UENI Reviews, 2025. Capterra Link
SoftwareAdvice. UENI Reviews, 2025. SoftwareAdvice Link
Modern Social Client Reviews & Packages. Modern Social Link
Antler, Y. “Multilevel marketing: Pyramid-shaped schemes or exploitative scams?” Theoretical Economics, 2023. Econstor Link
Huntington, H. & Brooks, M. Selling Synthetic Sisterhood: Legitimation Strategies of Entrepreneurship on MLM Corporate Websites, 2023. IJOC Link
Bradley, C. & Oates, H. The Multi-Level Marketing Pandemic, 2023. Tennessee Law Review Link
Brands, R. Multilevel Marketing, an Unwinnable Lottery, Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law, 2023. Georgetown Link
