Marketing Works When You Respect Three Rules
I’ve built companies and helped grow almost 6,000 brands. The pattern is clear. Great marketing runs on three simple principles: awareness, nurturing, and trust. This isn’t theory. It’s what I use daily, and it’s how I advise founders and CMOs who want results, not noise.
My view is blunt. If you don’t build awareness, you won’t grow. If you don’t nurture, you leave money on the table. If you don’t earn trust, you won’t keep customers. That’s the game. And it’s winnable.
Why I Bet On Three Principles
“These are the three principles of marketing that’s helped us grow almost 6,000 brands. Awareness, nurturing, trust.” — Erik Huberman
Marketing breaks when teams skip steps. They buy clicks and expect loyalty. They collect emails and expect sales. They slap a logo on a site and call it brand. That’s not how people decide.
People move through a clear path. First they notice you. Then they learn and consider. Then they buy and return. That path is awareness, nurturing, and trust.
Turning Attention Into Revenue
“Basically, how do you create awareness for your brand or company? How do you let new people know you exist?”
Reach matters. Smart reach matters more. You need to show up where likely buyers already are, with messages that fit the moment. That’s not “more spend.” That’s better placement and better hooks.
- Awareness: paid social, search, creator partnerships, PR placements, smart content.
- Nurturing: email flows, SMS, retargeting, clear landing pages, helpful education.
- Trust: reviews, testimonials, press, influencers, consistent delivery.
Awareness without nurturing is just noise. You earned attention. Now guide the person. Show proof. Answer doubts. Help them choose quickly and confidently.
“How do you nurture them along the way and get them to wanna buy? And then after they buy, keep them coming back.”
Nurturing is where good brands print money. Use lifecycle flows that speak to a person’s stage. First-time visitor? Share value and proof. Cart abandoner? Reduce friction. New customer? Onboard and surprise. Repeat buyer? Reward and invite them deeper.
Trust Is Built Before Brand
“Trust, synonymous with brand, but before you’ve built a brand, start with third-party validation… testimonials, reviews, influencers, celebrities, PR.”
Too many founders think brand comes first. It doesn’t. Trust does. Early on, borrow it. Put credible voices next to your offer. Show ratings, real customer stories, and press. If budgets are tight, start with honest reviews and user content. It works.
Brand shows up as consistency. Deliver the same quality every time. Keep your promises. Repeat your message until customers can repeat it for you. That’s how trust becomes yours, not rented.
“Once you’ve established your brand through consistency, that starts to build that trust yourself. What you consistently deliver becomes your trust.”
What Most People Get Wrong
They chase hacks and forget humans. Buyers don’t owe you attention. They don’t owe you belief. You earn both by helping them make a good choice, then proving they made one.
Some argue a great product is enough. I love a great product. But silence doesn’t sell. Even the best product needs awareness, nurturing, and trust to scale.
Do This Next
Run a quick audit. Be honest about gaps and fix the weakest link first.
- Measure awareness: sources, reach, cost per qualified visit.
- Tighten nurturing: flows, pages, offers, time to value.
- Stack trust: proof on every page, social proof in every step.
I’ve seen this simple system turn stalled brands into steady growers. It’s not magic. It’s discipline. Use it, and you’ll see movement fast.
Respect the order. Do the work. Earn the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I know if I have an awareness problem?
Check qualified traffic trends and first-touch sources. If new visitors are flat or paid traffic isn’t converting, your targeting or message is off.
Q: What’s the fastest way to improve nurturing?
Start with email and SMS flows: welcome, browse abandon, cart abandon, post-purchase, win-back. Make each message specific, short, and focused on value and proof.
Q: How can a startup build trust on a small budget?
Collect real customer reviews early, feature user photos, and highlight any credible mentions. Add guarantees and clear support to reduce risk.
Q: When should I invest in influencers or PR?
Once your offer converts with small traffic, amplify with creators or press that reach your exact buyer. Borrow their credibility to scale what already works.
Q: What metrics should I track for each stage?
Awareness: qualified sessions and CPA. Nurturing: conversion rate and time to first purchase. Trust: repeat rate, LTV, and review volume/quality.
