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Most people don’t have a marketing problem.
Sam Yarborough
April 03, 2025
Build the Brand Before the Product
Most people don’t have a marketing problem.
They have a conviction problem.
They don’t trust the long game. They don’t trust their gut.
They don’t trust that a person might follow, or care, or even buy all without being dragged through a funnel full of tracking links and form fields like a TSA checkpoint.
But Dave Gerhardt does.
He reminded us why brand is the only differentiator left in a world where everything looks the same and nothing feels real.
You don’t need a perfect product to start building the brand.
Drift did it with a podcast before they even launched.
They built community before they had something to sell.
They led with wisdom, not demos or features.
And, guess what? People showed up.
Not because they needed a chatbot.
But because they knew the humans behind it and trusted the wisdom they offered.
Value first.
That’s the game.
Marketing that actually works feels more like this:
Help me without pitching me
Make me feel something
Teach me what I didn’t know I needed
Build trust, and don’t ask for anything
Keep building trust and offering value
And when ready to buy, you’re already the obvious choice
Sound familiar?
Yeah. That’s partnerships.
It’s the same game.
Same relationship equity.
Same “play the long game, win big later” rhythm.
You don’t measure it in clicks.
You feel it in connection.
Be the number one resource for your customer or partner. Period.
Not the best pitch. Not the flashiest ad. Not the most inventive partner marketplace.
Just the one they trust.
The one they learn from. And then, you’ll be the one they come back to.
And if you’re tired of trying to measure everything to death, remember:
“People aren’t morons.”
If it’s good, they’ll follow you.
And if you build something worth belonging to, they’ll buy in. No UTM required.
And if you want to hang with people who are building brands, breaking rules, and betting on relationships, join us this summer.
July 14-17 | Bozeman, MT
75 leaders. No boring ballrooms. Montana summer.
Until next time,
Sam