The marketing technology landscape is overwhelming, with new tools launching every week and promises of innovative AI shortcuts and integrations across every channel. But here’s a truth: you don't need every marketing tool available.

So, what do you actually need? Here are the tools I would consider investing in.

Specialists are incredible when you know exactly what you need and you're ready to scale, but a Marketing Generalist or Strategic Marketer is often the better first hire for small and growing businesses.

A good marketing generalist (sometimes also known as marketing consultant, fractional marketing leader, or marketing strategist) isn't just someone who knows a little bit about everything (though that helps). They're strategic thinkers who can look at your business, your customers, your resources, and your goals, then figure out which marketing efforts are actually going to move the needle. And which you’re not ready for.

Discoverability isn't about dominating the top spot on Google Search results anymore. Your brand now needs to pivot to a three pillar strategy: social media, AI search, and traditional search engines. Brands that adapt their discoverability strategy fastest will capture the most attention.

In the pursuit of growth, businesses are pouring budget, time, and energy into driving traffic to their websites. Yet despite this resource investment surge, a staggering reality persists: the average website conversion rate is only 2.35%! This disconnect between upper funnel marketing efforts and down funnel conversions represents one of the biggest missed opportunities in modern digital marketing. While companies obsess over driving more traffic, they're neglecting the fundamental question: what happens when visitors actually arrive?