Why Your Marketing To-Do List Never Gets Done (and What to Do Instead)

Why does every marketing to-do list look easy… until you actually sit down to do it? Say you’ve got a whole hour between client calls and think, “I’ll get that marketing to-do list done! I’ll just whip up a quick Instagram post… maybe tweak the homepage copy while I’m at it.”

That’s doable, right?

But then… two hours later, you’re still in Canva, trying to choose a font.

Yep. Been there. Still there sometimes, honestly. 😂

Here’s a story: I used to have a monthly house cleaner — not because I can’t dust my own light fixtures, but because (1) it makes me want to light my hair on fire, and (2) if I hire someone to do it, I know it’ll actually get done. Once a month. Without dragging on for eight business weeks while I mentally avoid it.

Marketing is the same. You could do it all yourself. But it’s a slow burn of resentment and procrastination until it’s done.

Let’s dig into why that marketing to-do list is forever hanging around like a basket of unfolded laundry (always there, judging you) and what you can actually do to start crossing things off. Yes? Yes.

Marketing to-do list block #1: Analysis paralysis

When you’re in session with one of your clients you’re calm and confident. Everything flows. But the second you try to translate all of your magic into words for a blog post or an Instagram caption?

UM…

What should this post say? Which photo is “on brand”? Should I mention that offer or keep it subtle? Is this too salesy? Too stiff? Too much? Bugger, I thought Chat GPT was going to solve all of my problems!

🤣

You’re not imagining it. Writing about your own work is tough. It’s like trying to see the label when you’re inside the jar.

A few prompts that can help pull you out of the weeds:

What do people always ask you about in consults?
What do you wish every new client knew before their first appointment?
What’s one tiny mindset shift that changed the way you work?

Start there. Keep it short. Speak like you would to a client, not a marketing guru. Clarity beats clever every time.

Marketing to-do list block #2: Underestimating the work

Even with a solid idea (and maybe a little AI magic to kickstart it), writing good content takes real time.

We think, “I’ll just pop this into ChatGPT and tweak it real quick” and suddenly it’s 90 minutes later, you’ve rewritten everything twice, your tea is cold, and your content STILL sounds like a robot.

A lot of us try to squeeze marketing into leftover pockets of the day. But this is not a leftover-pocket task. This is CEO-level thinking. It deserves a real time block. And probably, no, DEFINITELY snacks.

Example breakdown of a “quick” blog post:

10 minutes deciding what to write
38 minutes figuring out why the space between the picture and headline is weird (again)
20 minutes trying to remember where you saved that client quote
12 minutes writing
45 minutes second-guessing everything

It’s not you. This stuff just takes longer than we want it to. And meanwhile, Instagram is screaming at you with:

“ChatGPT hacks that should be illegal”
“How to create 128 posts in 2 minutes”
“Use this Canva template and become a millionaire”
“Post every day or the algorithm will eat your business alive”

UGGGGGH.

Here’s what you need to know: Slow, steady, well-thought-out content always outperforms panicked, AI-churned, barely-on-brand fluff.

You don’t need to do more. You need to carve out space to do less, but better.

Marketing to-do list block #3: Riding your energy instead of planning

Ever get hit with a wave of motivation and crank out 12 posts in a single sitting?

Yeah, me too. Every single time. haha

But then we burn through all that content in a week… and wonder why we’re stuck again the next one.

When you ride the creative wave and have a plan for spacing it out, you’ll feel way more consistent without constantly scrambling to create!

Marketing to-do list block #4: Waiting for perfection

And because of that, it never gets done.

You keep waiting for the right photo. The perfect turn of phrase. (Seriously, I save them in my notes app. Top of the list: “my flabber is ghasted.” I JUST WANT TO SAY IT.) But I’m waiting for the exact right energy and a clean inbox and a quiet house.

None of that’s coming, my friend. And tbh, it doesn’t need to.

What works better than perfect? Showing up regularly, at… mmmm, 70%-all-right.

(To be honest, your half-ass is better than somebody else’s whole-ass… and you know it. 🤣)

Done is not only better than perfect, it’s what builds momentum. You’re not talking to your industry peers… you’re talking to someone who’s just a couple of steps behind you and needs to hear EXACTLY what you have to say.

Marketing to-do list block #5: The world screaming at you to do more

The internet (read: social media) has turned your business into a game of content whack-a-mole.

Post more. Optimize more. Rebrand more. Go viral more. “Scale faster.” “Diversify your offers.” “Start a podcast!”

It’s loud out there.

And while you do need to show up, you don’t need to show up like everyone else. You can build a sustainable, premium-feeling business by doing less but with way more intention.

It’s not about being everywhere. It’s about showing up in the right places, with the right message, at the right time.

That’s what our Marketing Sprints are for. We help you pull back from the noise and get your message out without burning out.

So how do we actually help you knock out your marketing to-do list?

With a Marketing Sprint.

One day. One team. (Of unicorns.) (Truly.) All your lingering to-dos: DONE.

We can help you with ALLTHETHINGS, but here are some ideas:

Write automated emails that sound like you, not like a robot, so every client interaction feels warm, thoughtful, and personal.
Make your brand look and feel like the premium experience you know it should be so you can confidently raise your rates and back it up with visuals that match your mad skillz.
Create strategic content that actually performs. We’re not talking about likes, we’re talking about dollars in your jeans. (Our human writers are very good at teasing out your magic and making it into something your perfect-fit client can pick up on the other side!)
Finally cross off those lingering tech, SEO, blah-blah-blah tasks that never seem to make it off the list.

TLDR: It’s not that you’re bad at marketing. It’s that you’ve been trying to squeeze it into the wrong corners of your business.

If your marketing to-do list keeps getting bumped for “real work,” it’s time to treat it like the real work it is, with strategy, structure, and support.