And what to fix before spending another rupee on ads, websites, or SEO
I live in Mysore.
And I’ve worked with brands across India and beyond for over two decades.
In the last few years, I’ve had more conversations than I can count with local business owners — across real estate, retail, education, wellness, hospitality, and services — all asking the same thing:
“We want to go digital. What should we do?”
The intent is right.
But the approach? Often broken before it begins.
Here’s what I’ve seen go wrong — and what Mysore businesses (and many others like them) need to rethink.
1. Digital ≠ Facebook Page + Google Ads
Digital isn’t a checkbox. It’s not:
- “Create a website” ✅
- “Boost a few posts” ✅
- “Run Google Ads” ✅
It’s about building a real presence, positioning, and path to growth.
Most local businesses treat digital like a decoration — not as an engine.
What you need instead:
- Clear goals (leads, trust, bookings, sales — not just traffic)
- A strong online profile (GMB, local SEO, reviews, relevant content)
- Consistent communication — not random, reactive posts
2. Copy-paste agency packages don’t work
One of the most common mistakes I see?
Signing up for generic digital marketing packages that offer:
- 12 posts a month
- Basic SEO
- Paid ad spend (but no strategy)
These sound affordable. But they do very little — because they’re not tailored to your business goals.
If you’re in Mysore selling real estate, you need a very different approach than someone running a boutique hotel or a school.
3. No full-time team? You don’t need one.
Another blocker I hear:
“We don’t have an in-house team for digital, so we’re stuck.”
Here’s the truth:
You don’t need a full-time team.
You need the right part-time thinking and execution.
Someone who can:
- Audit where you stand
- Build a plan you can actually follow
- Set up systems (even with lean resources)
- Guide external partners or agencies to deliver
That’s where fractional roles — like what I do at Ask Maddy — work really well.
4. If your offline experience is bad, digital won’t save you
No ad, no website, and no social media post can fix:
- Unreliable delivery
- Poor service
- Confusing pricing
- Bad reviews
Digital amplifies your truth.
Make sure what’s being amplified is worth discovering.
Fix the root issues first. Then use digital to scale your strengths — not hide your gaps.
5. Start small. But start smart.
Don’t try to do everything at once.
But don’t delay everything waiting for perfection.
Here’s a smart sequence:
- Get your Google My Business profile right
- Build a clean, mobile-friendly one-page website
- Set up a clear call-to-action (WhatsApp, call, visit, book)
- Share real stories from real customers
- Run local ads only when your landing page can convert
TL;DR
Mysore is full of amazing local businesses with huge potential.
But “going digital” the wrong way does more harm than good.
You don’t need a fancy agency. You don’t need 30 reels a month.
You need clarity.
And someone who knows how to apply it to your kind of business.
If that sounds like what you’ve been missing — well, you know who to Ask.