Pick One Channel for Real Marketing Growth

Ever feel like your marketing growth is a full-body workout that leaves you tired, but somehow you still have noodle arms? 

You’re not alone. 

This week, I dove into a podcast episode of Mike Scott’s How To Be Moderately Successful (LOVE the name, by the way) where Allan Dib, author of The One Page Marketing Plan, shared a simple but powerful idea: if you’re resource-constrained in marketing, pick one channel and go deep. At first, I didn’t buy it. I’ve always been a “do more” kind of guy, repurposing content across LinkedIn, newsletters, Instagram – you name it.

But here’s the catch: when you spread yourself thin, you’re not really learning what works. Your content stays the same, algorithms don’t love you, and eventually, you give up. It’s like gym workouts: doing a full body every time means tiny or no gains, but focusing on one area regularly gets results and keeps you motivated. 

I’ve written dozens of newsletters, tweaking the format as I learn what sticks. Now I get more feedback and feel inspired to keep going because I know you’re reading. So yeah, I’m with Allan now: pick one channel, post often, learn, tweak, ask for feedback, and watch the motivating results roll in. (Sooner than you think!)

The Problem With “Do Everything, Everywhere”

Let’s be honest. Every founder I know (myself included) falls into the “cover all bases” trap. It feels like if you’re not everywhere, you’re nowhere. So you blast the same message on LinkedIn, email, maybe even try a TikTok dance if you’re feeling brave. 

And what happens?

• Your time gets diced up into confetti
• You end up copying and pasting the same content, so every channel looks and sounds identical
• Algorithms shrug and say, “Meh, seen it before”
• You don’t actually figure out what resonates because you’re too busy juggling, not learning

You start strong, but after a few weeks, you’re running on empty. No feedback, no marketing growth, no fun. At some point, you stop showing up altogether, and your marketing muscles atrophy.

It’s not laziness – it’s just not sustainable.

The “Watering Plants” Analogy (Because Who Doesn’t Love a Good Visual)

Picture this. You’ve got ten plants on your windowsill, but just one glass of water each day. You sprinkle a little on each, hoping they’ll all survive. What happens? Everything wilts. Nobody’s happy. 

But if you pick one plant and give it the whole glass, it actually thrives. Green leaves, maybe even a flower or two if you’re lucky.

Marketing growth is exactly the same. Spreading yourself thin is just keeping everything barely alive. Going deep on one channel? That’s how you get real, noticeable growth.

The Gym Lesson: Why Focus Wins

It’s the same as going to the gym: full body workouts every time = tiny or no improvements, focused workouts = visible gains and motivation.

We won’t pretend I’m a fitness influencer. But even I know that if you lift a little bit of everything, you end up with nothing much to show for it. The people who focus – who do “leg day” or “shoulder day” and drill into their form – see actual results. They get the feedback loop: work, see progress, feel motivated, repeat.

This applies perfectly to marketing growth.

Posting everywhere means you’re not really improving anywhere. But focus on one channel, and you can test, adjust, and see what actually lands.

From Skeptic to Believer: My Newsletter Experiment

Full disclosure: I was a die-hard “spread it everywhere” repurposer for years. Then I tried Allan’s approach. I picked my newsletter as my main channel and here’s what actually changed:

• I started tweaking the format based on what you told me worked (and what didn’t)
• I saw open rates and replies go up
• The process felt less like shouting into the void, more like an actual conversation
• I got inspired to keep going, because I could see the impact

It’s weirdly motivating to know someone’s actually out there, reading and responding. That feedback is fuel. And it only happens when you give one channel enough attention to notice the signals.

Proof It Works: A Quick Real-World Example

I worked with a founder-led consulting company last year. They were doing a bit of everything: LinkedIn, webinars, cold email, a blog that hadn’t been updated since 2021. The pipeline looked like a rollercoaster. So, we pulled back and focused on LinkedIn only. Daily posts, proactive engagement, and a simple weekly roundup newsletter.

Within two months, their average post views tripled. They started real conversations with decision makers (actual humans, not bots), and their inbound leads became regular – not just random spikes. The magic wasn’t in the channel itself, but in the focus, the feedback, and the willingness to tweak instead of just ticking boxes.

How To Pick and Dive Deep (The Not-So-Complicated Plan)

Feeling the itch to “do more”? Fight it. 

Here’s the mini checklist I use with founders who want to see real marketing growth without burning out:

1. Pick your channel. Where are your best customers actually hanging out? LinkedIn, newsletter, or maybe industry podcasts? Choose ONE.
2. Post and engage often. Show up consistently. Don’t just broadcast—start conversations, ask questions, reply to comments.
3. Tweak and repeat. Pay attention to what lands (and what flops). Adjust your message, your timing, and your calls to action based on real feedback.

Bonus: Ask for feedback directly. “What did you like about this post?” or “Was this newsletter useful?” Real people will tell you what they want more of (or less of). That’s gold.

What Happens When You Go Deep

This is what I’ve seen every time:

• You get actual feedback, not just vanity metrics
• Learning accelerates, because you’re testing in real time
• Motivation goes up, because you see progress (not just “activity”)
• Results start showing up faster than you think (not overnight, but fast enough to keep you moving)

And when you’re ready, THEN you can layer on a second channel. But only after you’ve cracked the first.

Keep It Simple

Pick one channel. Post often. Learn, make changes, ask for feedback, implement it, and the motivating results will come. (Sooner than you think!)

Stop watering every plant. Give one the attention it deserves and watch it grow.

Want to see what happens when you go deep? Schedule a 15-minute call and let’s build your focused marketing growth roadmap together.

Jason Bagley Founder, Growth Experts

I'm a business builder, the founder of Growth Experts, sometimes public speaker, and a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. Mostly though, I’m just a dad to Eva & Cruz and a husband to Karina.