How to Avoid Cringe Content and Hire a Marketer Who Actually Gets You

If you’ve ever read something a marketer wrote for your business and thought,
“I would never say that,”
or
“This doesn’t even sound like me,”
you’re definitely not the only one.

A lot of small business owners hire digital marketing help and end up with content that feels robotic, off-brand, or just… plain off. And that’s not only frustrating but it can actually push people away and make you feel like you’ve lost control of your own voice.

You didn’t hire someone to make your business sound awkward or salesy or stiff. You hired them to help you show up better online—and represent your business properly.

So let’s talk about how to avoid that kind of disappointment and find someone who actually gets your voice, your goals, and your business.

If They Don’t Understand Your Voice, They’ll Miss the Mark Every Time

Good marketing isn’t just about pretty visuals or ticking SEO boxes.
It’s about how you show up and communicate with the people you’re trying to serve.

That means:

• • Using a tone that actually reflects how you speak to your customers
  • Writing content that matches your personality, values, and the way you do business
  • Speaking in a way your local audience genuinely connects with

If the content doesn’t feel like you—or worse, if it feels stiff, confusing, or too generic—there’s a disconnect.
And chances are, your audience is picking up on that, too.

My Own Cringe Story

A few years back, I hired someone on Fiverr to write some web copy for my business.
At the time, I was genuinely excited about it. The price was affordable, the turnaround was quick, and I thought, perfect—one less thing I have to worry about.

But when I got the copy back… yeah. That excitement faded fast.

The writing was creative, for sure. Polished. Lots of fancy marketing words. But it didn’t sound like me at all! It was way too salesy, too pushy, and just not the kind of tone I would ever use.

And it definitely didn’t reflect the kind of business I was trying to build or the kind of people I wanted to work with.

In the end, I changed all of it because I couldn’t, in good conscience, put that kind of voice out into the world under my name.

That experience has really stuck with me. It reminded me how frustrating it is when your own business doesn’t feel like yours.

That’s exactly why I work differently now—with intention, with conversation, and with a lot of listening.

You Should Be Involved Without Being Overwhelmed

When I’m writing for someone else’s business, it’s never just a task to check off, it’s a collaboration.
I’m very focused on getting it right. And that only happens when your voice is part of the process.

You don’t need to micromanage every sentence (and I’d never expect you to), but you should feel confident that what’s being shared sounds like something you’d actually say. Something your customers actually understand.

So here are my tips on what a good marketer should do:

• • Ask real questions about your business, your tone, and what matters to you
  • Give you the chance to review and approve content before it goes live
  • Make edits or adjustments without making it a big deal

If you feel shut out, ignored, or like your opinion doesn’t really matter… that’s not a working relationship.
That’s just outsourcing with a nicer label on it.

You Can Always Tell When It’s Outsourced or Auto-Generated

Let’s be honest—there’s a lot of “marketing help” out there that’s really just copy-paste work behind the scenes.
A lot of agencies charge top dollar and then hand your content off to someone overseas… or just run it through a bot.

You can tell. You really can.

The signs are usually pretty dang obvious:

• • Weird phrasing or grammar that doesn’t sound natural
  • Generic posts that could apply to literally any business
  • Content that feels cold, vague, or just plain off

If it doesn’t sound like you, it probably wasn’t written by someone who even knows who you are, or who your audience is.

When Content Doesn’t Sound Like You, It Won’t Work

Content that feels off doesn’t just make you uncomfortable, it can also make your audience cringe, too. 

And if they don’t trust what they’re reading, they’re not going to click. They’re not going to call. They’re not going to buy.

So yes, your tone, as represented in your content matters. But more than that, it’s a reflection of whether your marketing is actually connected to your business in a real, meaningful way.

That’s why it’s so important to find the right person to work with. Someone who takes the time to understand your business, your voice, and your customers.
Someone who’s in it with you.

What It Looks Like When You Work With Someone Who Gets It

At Gro Digital Studio, this isn’t just a service I offer—it’s a reflection of everything I’ve lived and learned from being part of small business life. I’ve been in it my whole life. I understand the pace, the pressure, and the pride that comes with doing your own thing.

And…I live here. I know how people in our communities talk, what they care about, and what kind of messaging they respond to.

You’ll never get recycled, awkward content written by someone halfway across the world.
You’ll get marketing support that’s custom-fit to your voice, and to your goals.

Here’s how I work with my clients:

• • I take time to learn your business and how you naturally communicate
  • I study your audience so the message feels like a conversation, not a sales pitch
  • I write everything myself, and I send it to you for review before anything goes live
  • I’m easy to connect with, and if something feels off, I’ll fix it—no problem

You don’t have to settle for cringe or confusion or content that doesn’t feel like you.
You can get clear, honest support from someone who actually cares about how your business shows up online.

Ready for marketing that actually sounds like you?

Let’s make this easy. Get in touch with me here.