We need to have an honest conversation about the state of marketing. About the endless stream of templated, robotic content that’s drained the personality out of hospitality. And about why it’s doing more harm than good.
You’ve seen it. You’ve probably read it a thousand times this week alone.
“Relax in our luxurious rooms.”
“Enjoy exquisite local cuisine.”
“Unwind with world-class service.”
Cut and paste. Across hotels. Restaurants. Bars. Tour companies. Spas. You name it. The same tired lines, repeated across the industry like a broken record.
The problem? Consumers are smarter than that now. They can spot AI-generated, recycled copy instantly. They know when they’re being sold a script. And worse still: they’re bored.
The Danger of Sameness
The more businesses try to sound like everyone else, the less anyone hears them. Sameness is not safety. It’s invisibility.
This obsession with professional-sounding, generic marketing doesn’t build trust. It creates distance. Customers aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for truth. They’re looking for something or someone REAL!
If You’re Not Different, Don’t Pretend You Are
Here’s the part nobody says out loud. ‘Not every business is unique. And that’s ok!’
If your hotel offers basic, affordable accommodation in a brilliant location, say that. If your restaurant serves solid, familiar dishes cooked well, say that.
If your event is small, intimate and personal, say that.
Stop dressing it up. Stop pretending you offer an ‘unparalleled experience’ if you don’t. Because when you try to market yourself as something you’re not, two things happen:
You attract the wrong customers who will be disappointed.
You repel the right customers who would have loved you if you’d just been honest.
Bravery Wins
Bravery in marketing isn’t about shouting the loudest. It’s about being truthful. It’s showing the behind-the-scenes. The humans who make your business tick. The ups and downs. The quirks. The raw edges that make your business yours.
Authenticity can’t be copied. It can’t be manufactured. And it cannot be generated by a robot. When you speak your truth with honesty, you resonate. You attract people who share your values. You create loyalty, not just transactions.
With the RIGHT PEOPLE!
Marketing Energy Is Everything
In 2025 and beyond, marketing is no longer about tactics. It’s about energy. The energy you put into your messaging is what people feel. When your marketing is hollow, your audience feels it. When your marketing is honest, personal, and human, they will feel that too.
People crave realness. Give it to them.
So Let’s Ditch The Templates
If you take one thing from this, let it be this; ‘Stop following the blueprint. Stop writing what everyone else is writing. Stop trying to sound industry standard.’
Instead, be the business that speaks human. Be the brand that shows up fully, flaws and all. You’ll find your people. And they’ll stay with you.
DOWNLOAD THIS
I’ve prepared a small questionnaire to get your small business offering on a more authentic path. USE CODE: SUBSUBFREE to download for free as a Substack Subscriber