Marketing Theater Is Expensive: The “Profit Framework” Trap That Keeps SMBs Paying for Bad Advice

The lesson from The Emperor’s New Clothes still applies: if the “system” only works if you buy their new “clothes,” you are not buying a growth system — you're buying a ticket to "marketing theater". Let me explain...

There’s a reason The Emperor’s New Clothes is still one of the most famous fairy tales ever written: it wasn’t just a story;  it was a warning.

A warning about ego, manipulation, and people paying for something that sounds impressive… even when it isn’t real.

And if you’ve spent any time in the SMB (small to mid-sized business) world, you’ve probably seen the modern version of that tale: A “profit framework” gets rolled out like a breakthrough system guaranteed to help your business revenue goal dreams come true...if you buy it.

It has a shiny name. A big promise. A neat little roadmap.

Everyone claps. Everyone nods. Everyone says it’s brilliant.

But when the dust settles, the business owner is left with the same reality:

They bought a package, and it was just that - A Package. A royal wardrobe of invisible clothes.

It’s called marketing theater: a strategy that looks productive on the surface, but doesn’t produce durable, measurable outcomes.

The New Clothes SMB Owners Are Being Sold By Bad Actors Portraying As Business Consultants or Business Coaches

In the fairy tale, the Emperor didn’t wake up needing new clothes.

He wanted to look powerful. He wanted to feel ahead. He wanted certainty.

That’s exactly what marketing theater sells SMB owners today.

Not support. Not execution. Not outcomes.

A feeling.

A seller shows up with a “system” and implies:

• you’re behind without it

• you’re missing something everyone else knows

• you’ll finally have clarity and profits once you buy in

And just like the fairy tale, the pitch works because it hits a vulnerable truth: Most SMB owners are stretched thin, doing the work of multiple people, carrying the business on their back, and trying to grow profitably without wasting money. And, they just simply want to invest in something for themselves.

So when someone promises predictable ROI in a neat little framework… it’s tempting.

But here’s the problem:

Small to mid-sized businesses don’t fail because they lack ideas.

They struggle because they lack time, bandwidth, and support to prioritize and execute the right work in the right sequence.

And marketing theater never solves that. Never.

The Real Trap: “Invisible Clothes” = Renamed Reality

In The Emperor’s New Clothes, the trick wasn’t the clothing.

The trick was the language used by the bad actors or the tailors.

The clothes were “invisible” to anyone who wasn’t smart enough. So nobody wanted to admit they couldn’t see them. The shame you'd feel if you couldn't "see" the clothes was hyped and the crowd didn't dare disagree. But, they all knew it was wrong.

That’s the same trap SMB owners get pulled into with “profit frameworks” pitched by business consultants or coaches that sell hype and not substance.

Basic business truths get renamed and sold back to you like they’re proprietary truths and only their ways will get you to real profitability.

Here’s are some of the terms a Marketing Theater presents and their real translations:

What they call it	What it really is
“Profit Optimization Framework”	Get organized + reduce waste
“Revenue Clarity System”	Make your offer easier to understand
“Conversion Accelerator Method”	Improve follow-up + tighten sales process
“Authority Engine” or "Differentiator"	Branding + positioning
“Client Value Maximizer”	Retention + referrals

None of these ideas are wrong. But none of them are new. And if you’re paying premium prices for a renamed reality, you’re not buying strategy,  you’re buying theater.

Example: The Branding Lie (They Sell You the Clothes While Saying You Don’t Need Them)

Here’s where it gets especially sneaky.

Some sellers will tell SMB owners: “Branding doesn’t matter because smaller businesses simply can’t compete with a big businesses marketing budget." (yes, I have heard that said and read it in their e-book)

Then they turn around and sell:

• “positioning”

• “authority”

• “differentiators”

• “message frameworks”

• “market perception systems”

That is branding.

They just rename it so they can:

1. dismiss branding as “unnecessary,” and then

2. charge you for it anyway.

   
   

So you’re told you don’t need the clothes…while they’re taking your money for the clothes.

Their Shame Game: Why “It’s Not Working” Becomes Your Fault

In the fairy tale, the Emperor’s people didn’t want to tell the truth because telling the truth came with consequences.

Marketing theater works the same way.

If results don’t happen, the seller doesn’t take responsibility.

They say:

• you didn’t commit

• you didn’t implement correctly

• you weren’t consistent

• you didn’t trust the process

• you need the next level

That isn’t accountability.

That’s a built-in escape hatch or a way to protect the framework, protect the seller, and keep the buyer paying.

The Lesson in The Tale is Timeless

The lesson from The Emperor’s New Clothes still applies: if the “system” only works if you buy their new “clothes,” you are not buying growth, you bought a ticket to sit in a marketing theater seat. You may see results, but it's highly unlikely. Moreover, you lost big dollars buying it - they usually charge fees in the five figure range. Ouch.

Here’s the difference between real marketing growth support and marketing theater:

What you need	What marketing theater sells	What you’re left holding
Priorities and sequencing	Vocabulary and hype	Confusion + more tasks
Execution support	“DIY implementation”	A system you can’t maintain nor do you really understand
Revenue-based outcomes	Vanity metrics	Busywork that doesn’t convert
Business alignment	Random acts of marketing packaged as steps	Spent time and wasted money without strategy
Accountability	Buyer blame	Shame + upsells

How to Spot Fake Marketing Systems, Marketing Strategies or Profit Frameworks Before You Buy In

Marketing theater tends to have the same red flags:

🚩 A catchy name with vague deliverables

🚩 Big promises without real execution support

🚩 Hyped up terms that really are nothing more than word salad

🚩 Lead generation hype with unclear focus on conversion + retention

🚩 “Clarity” that adds complexity

🚩 Results that depend on you buying the next level

🚩 Buyer blame when outcomes don’t happen

And if the program makes you feel you'd be left behind unless you buy it? That’s not business consulting. That’s manipulation.

Don’t Get Played By Consultants or Coaches Selling Theater: The Reality Checklist ✅

Before you buy any “framework,” “system,” or “growth program,” watch for things like this:

✅ They sound like a timeshare salesperson (“only a few spots left!” / “offer ends tonight!”).

✅ They promise guaranteed revenue or “six figures in 90 days” like your business is a microwave.

✅ They throw out fake revenue formulas before they understand your profit centers and business model.

✅ They hide behind buzzwords (“authority engine,” “secret algorithm,” “proprietary system”) they can’t explain plainly.

✅ They sell plug-and-profit marketing (“done-for-you” magic funnels that print money while you sleep).

✅ They “talk strategy” but leave you with no executable plan — just homework and hope.

✅ They wave testimonials around as proof, but can’t produce real case studies with numbers.

✅ They use lifestyle props as credibility (cars, vacations, flexing) instead of showing results.

✅ When “it” isn’t working, they shame and blame you.

✅ The solution is always to buy the next level.

Marketing can feel like a mystery. But when someone hides behind big words, that’s not expertise, that’s the Emperor’s New Clothes in business form.

What SMB Owners Actually Need to Achieve Business Growth - The Real Fix

Most business owners don’t need more vocabulary. They need someone to help them make decisions.

They need:

• diagnosis

• prioritization

• execution support

• and leadership that aligns marketing, business development, and operations

  
  

Because profit isn’t a marketing metric. It’s a business outcome.

What Fisher Marketing Services Does Differently For SMB Marketing...and it is NOT theater

At Fisher Marketing Services, I don’t sell frameworks that look impressive.

I build strategic plans that actually get executed because businesses don’t need more ideas. They need the right plan, in the right order, with real expert support.

1) We start with a strategic plan

Before we touch tactics, we get clear on what matters most.

That means looking at your business as a whole, not just marketing, and building a marketing plan that connects your goals to an actionable roadmap that can be "seen":

• what you’re trying to achieve (and by when)

• what’s currently working (and what’s not)

• what needs to be prioritized first for ROI

• what your team can realistically execute

• what to stop doing so you can focus and gain traction

This is where most marketing theater fails:  it sells motivation and vocabulary, not priorities and sequencing.

2) We align marketing, business development, and operations

This is the part most “systems” ignore.

Marketing doesn’t live in a vacuum. If the handoffs are broken, follow-up is inconsistent, or operations can’t support growth. Even “good marketing” turns into expensive chaos, so we focus on ensuring that stops happening.

So I focus on the alignment of the whole eco-system:

• marketing that attracts the right leads, tracks them, and builds the brand

• business development that creates repeatable growth (not random activity) and builds reputation

• operations that support the growth, protects the client experience, and captures ROI data

Because sustainable business growth requires all three working together in conjuction for the benefit of your customer/client journey and your ROI.

3) We prove ROI with the right drivers

This is where lead attribution matters.

If you don’t know where leads are coming from — and which leads actually become revenue — then you’re guessing. And guessing is expensive.

That’s why ROI drivers that we use, include:

• proper lead attribution (so we know what’s working)

• client value (so we protect profit, not just volume)

• conversion + follow-up discipline (so leads don’t die after the handoff)

• retention strategy (because growth compounds when clients stay and refer your business)

  
  

No hype. No theater. No fancy wardrobe. Because ROI isn’t about hype or being busy for busy’s sake. It’s about being profitable with proof.

In Closing

Most small to mid-sized businesses aren’t disorganized because they’re lazy.

They’re disorganized because they’re carrying too much, and, too often, they’re getting sold “transformation” that’s really just repackaged basics with a shinier label at a premium price.

A royal wardrobe promised…and, we know how that tale played out!

The marketing theater industry knows this. So it packages common sense as a breakthrough, attaches it to a funnel, calls it transformation, and shames you into buying it. They win, you lose.

The Emperor’s New Clothes wasn’t about clothing.

It was about what happens when people are pressured into buying something that looks impressive — even when it isn’t real.

SMBs don’t need more marketing theater buzzwords and hype!

They need leadership, alignment, and decisions that create durable ROI and profitability.

If you’re serious about growth, and done wasting money on buzzwords, I’d love to help!

Reach out to Fisher Marketing Services and let’s create a strategic plan that produces measurable results (not just more invisible clothes).

FAQs on SMB Marketing and What is Marketing Theater or "Profit Frameworks"?

What is marketing theater?

Marketing theater is rarely obvious to a buyer at the point of sale. It's a business system hyped up, packaged well, and often looks organized, confident, and reassuring. The problem shows up later, when the business owner tries to apply what they bought and realizes there is no clear connection between the “system” and actual business decisions. By then, even though their framework sounded impressive, nothing concrete has changed inside the business.

How can business owners tell the difference between a real strategic marketing plan and a marketing theater "profit framework" with empty solutions?

A real strategic plan usually feels slower, more intentional, and more collaborative than a framework pitch. Instead of hype or big promises, it involves working through your current state versus your desired state, defining your target client personas, discussing budget realities, and selecting marketing channels that fit your business and capacity. It does not cost a fortune upfront, it takes time to build, and it requires real conversations about priorities and tradeoffs. If it feels practical, specific, and focused on your business rather than their system, it is probably real.

Why do SMB owners realize something is wrong only after they ask the consultant or coach for help?

Most buyers or small to mid-sized business owners do not recognize marketing theater until they try to get clarification or support. That is when confusion turns into blame. Questions about implementation, priorities, or results are often met with responses like “you need to commit more” or “you did not follow the system correctly.”

The issue is not that the owner failed. It is that the framework was never built around their business model, capacity, or profit structure in the first place. The person selling the "system" may even disappear after being contacted.

Can I report businesses that sell these "systems"?

Yes, there are several places you can report them and it is a great step to take to help protect future buyers from being ensnared. Your local BBB, Consumer Affairs, Google My Business profiles, social media accounts, your local business chambers of commerce, and other directories. Before you even meet with a consultant or coach that has a propietary system or profit framework, prep for the meeting by researching their business name, the consultant or coach's name, and look for negative reviews or reports done.

Are there quality, vetted business consultants and coaches that can help my SMB grow?

Yes, with proper research on their history, credentials, and talk directly with other businesses that have used them, or ask a business owner you trust for a referral. Good consultants and coaches exist and they will help you build a plan and they will bring in or have you hire on vetted professionals to help in areas they are not experts in. Honesy beats any revenue promise...any day!

Julie Fisher, Founder & Fractional CMO

Julie Fisher lives in Beaumont, California, and is the founder of Fisher Marketing Services LLC, a leading fractional CMO and marketing agency. Julie's marketing focuses on SMB (small to mid-sized business) marketing, with a strong focus on brand strategy, aligning systems, and ROI. Julie has over 30 years of B2B and B2C account management, SMB advertising, business development, and marketing experience that includes over 7 years of in-house law firm marketing leadership. You can reach her at  juliefisher@fisher-marketing.com or follow her on LinkedIn: Julie Fisher - Fractional CMO.