The e hustle 50: Stop Chasing Reach. Start Chasing Switch.

We talk about reach like it’s the holy grail of marketing.

It’s not.

Most brands already reach plenty of people… the problem is they’re not converting them. There’s reach, and then there’s attentive reach — the people who actually care. That second group is where the growth lives.

Because if you simply switched twice as many people from your competitor to you — without increasing your ad spend — you would double your revenue. Same impressions. Same budget. Just better persuasion.

But you don’t get switching power from generic messaging.

And right now the market is drowning in generic.

“Affordable luxury.”
“Premium.”
“Elevated.”
“Sustainable.”

This language is wallpaper. Nobody notices it. Nobody feels it. Nobody switches because of it.

So instead of tweaking ad structures or obsessing over CPMs, look at your value proposition. Are you actually giving someone a reason to leave the brand they currently buy from? Or are you putting out another safe, bland, well-designed nothing?

Here’s the reality check you won’t hear from media buyers:

Retail hasn’t grown in Australia, the US or Europe once you adjust for inflation.
Spending is up… but only because prices are up. Transactions haven’t moved.

Which means there aren’t magically more buyers entering the market. Growth today comes from stealing customers, not discovering them.

You’re not fishing in a bigger pond. You’re fishing in the same pond — but you need a better lure.

You won’t outspend your competitors on Meta. I see brands try every week. It’s a losing play.

But you can out-persuade them.

Stronger value props. Deeper problem solving. More relevance. More clarity. More proof. More confidence.

Don’t obsess over how many humans saw your ad.

Obsess over how many you switched.

That’s the only metric that matters.

Until next week, 
Paul

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