Red Flags when you hire a Marketing Specialist (before they ruin your brand)

There's a new trend, and it's got a name: The Marketer Who Can't Actually Market.

These smooth-talking charlatans have mastered the dark art of selling themselves whilst remaining spectacularly useless at everything else. They're the reason your last rebrand looked like it was designed by a committee of colour-blind toddlers with access to Canva Pro.

Here's the twisted reality we're living in: smooth talkers get mistaken for strategic thinkers, bullshit gets confused with brilliance, and somehow the loudest dickhead in the room gets handed the keys to your brand kingdom.

It's like watching someone get promoted for knowing how to use a laser pointer.

What Brand Strategy Actually Is (Spoiler: It's Not Vibes)

Brand strategy isn't rocket science—it's more like brain surgery. If that surgery involved carving your brand into people's minds with surgical precision.

It's the feeling someone gets when they encounter your brand, and whether that feeling lands in the precise mental real estate you designed for them to occupy.

But here's where shit gets properly fucked up: half these "strategists" are just expensive ChatGPT translators with business cards and an unhealthy obsession with buzzwords.

A real strategist should be able to tell you instantly:

• Who actually gives a shit about your brand (and "everyone" isn't an answer, Karen)
• What transformation you're really selling (hint: it's never the product)
• What territory you own in the market
• What stupid shit you need to stop doing immediately

If they can't? Congratulations—you've hired a professional document generator with a LinkedIn addiction.

The Six Red Flags That Scream "Run Like Hell"

Red Flag #1: Strategy Theatre

They deliver novels full of corporate poetry that say everything and nothing simultaneously. It's like getting a love letter written by a committee of lawyers - technically correct, emotionally vacant, and about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

What this looks like: Documents thicker than a phonebook, packed with buzzwords you'd need a fucking decoder ring to understand. No conclusions, no actionable insights, just  meaningless prose.

Red Flag #2: Data Vomit

They weaponise statistics they googled five minutes ago, treating outdated numbers like gospel.

What this sounds like: "Studies show that 73% of consumers prefer authentic brands!" (Bonus points if they can't tell you which study, when it was conducted, or why it's relevant to your specific situation.)

Red Flag #3: Trend Graveyards

Their "cutting-edge research" is pulled straight from an old Pinterest board. They drop buzzwords like confetti at a funeral—completely fucking inappropriate and painfully out of touch.

The dead giveaway: They're still talking about "authenticity" and "community-driven experiences" whilst showing you mood boards that scream "I peaked during the pandemic."

Red Flag #4: Conversion Killers

They chase vanity metrics over actual sales, then act genuinely confused when traffic doesn't translate to revenue. It's like being proud of getting lots of window shoppers whilst your till stays emptier than a politician's promise.

How this manifests: They optimise for impressions over conversions, SEO over UX, and buzz over actual business results. Then they blame "market conditions" when nothing sells.

Red Flag #5: Visual Vandalism

They'll butcher your brand's visual DNA because they think neon green "pops better," completely obliterating years of built equity. Suddenly your premium brand looks like it belongs in a discount bin next to knock-off energy drinks.

The warning signs: They dismiss your existing visual assets as "dated" without understanding what equity you've already built. They change shit because they can, not because they should.

Red Flag #6: The Bulldozer Approach

They steamroll in assuming everyone before them was a complete moron, getting defensive when challenged and dismissive of anyone who actually understands the brand.

What this looks like: They need to tear down the existing team just to prove their value. If they can't build on what's working, they shouldn't be trusted to build anything.

What Good Strategists Actually Do (Revolutionary Concept)

Real brand strategists don't just talk a good game—they deliver results you can actually measure. Here's the playbook:

They start with reality, not fantasy:

• Audit what's already working before torching everything
• Listen to actual customers, not imaginary personas
• Identify the core tension your brand resolves
• Map the transformation you're really selling

They make shit clearer, not cleverer:

• Align product, messaging, and creative to reinforce one sharp, ownable position
• Cut through the noise
• Subtract more than they add
• Build strategy that survives contact with the real world

The Psychology Gold You're Paying For

Here's the million-dollar insight these fraudulent fucks keep missing: people don't buy products - they buy things that solve their current problem. Identity upgrades. The feeling of belonging to something bigger.

A strategist who understands this will tap into something so primal, your customers won't even realise they've been sold to. They'll just know they need whatever you're offering because it makes them feel like the person they want to become.

Most brands don't fail because they're shit—they fail because they tried to be everything to everyone instead of becoming absolutely essential to someone specific.

The Brutal Truth About What You're Really Buying

When you hire a brand strategist, here's what you should expect:

Visibility ≠ Value
‍Getting noticed doesn't mean getting bought. Any dickhead can create noise; strategists create signal.

Charisma ≠ Competence
‍The smoothest talker in the pitch meeting might be the worst strategist in the building. Look for substance over style.

Volume ≠ Intelligence
‍The loudest voice in the room is usually compensating for having the least useful shit to say.

Your Bullshit Detection Toolkit

Before you hand over your money, ask these questions:

1. "Show me three brands you've positioned, and explain why each one works." (If they can't, run.)
2. "What would you kill from our current strategy?" (If everything's amazing, they're lying... or you don't need a strategist.)
3. "How will you measure success beyond vanity metrics?" (If they can't connect strategy to sales, they're decorative.)
4. "What's the biggest strategic mistake brands in our category make?" (If they give generic answers, they don't understand your market.)
5. "What questions haven't I asked that I should have?" (If they don't challenge your thinking, they're not thinking strategically.)