{
  "id": 6833997,
  "title": "Stop Treating Marketing Like a Vending Machine — You’re Wasting Your Budget. Here’s What to Do Instead.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/stop-treating-marketing-like-a-vending-machine-youre-wasting-your-6833997",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-10T18:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Finance",
    "slug": "yahoo-finance",
    "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/media-advertising/articles/stop-treating-marketing-vending-machine-183000845.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Treating marketing as a vending machine is a common mindset that can lead to wasted budgets, according to Entrepreneur Media LLC and Yahoo Finance LLC. The vending machine analogy implies that putting money into marketing will yield a steady stream of leads, similar to inserting a dollar and receiving a product. However, this approach often fails, particularly in B2B SaaS environments where buying decisions can take months and involve multiple stakeholders.\n\nInstead of the vending machine mindset, companies should view marketing as an investment account. While some investments yield immediate returns, others gradually increase the likelihood of customers remembering, trusting, and choosing your brand when ready. Recognize that customers may not always be prepared to make a purchase; hence, create a \"pull\" strategy rather than constantly pushing your products.\n\nTo avoid wasting your marketing budget, focus on the following: 1. Understand that customers may not be ready to buy; 2. Identify the problem you want to own; 3. Create pull instead of pushing; and 4. Engage with customers, prospects, and potential leads who considered your product but chose competitors. Treat every dollar spent on marketing as a deliberate investment, expecting immediate returns for some campaigns while others gradually build trust and brand recognition over time. This compound effect can ultimately lead to consistent customer acquisition without the need to manufacture every sales opportunity.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Entrepreneur",
        "title": "Stop Treating Marketing Like a Vending Machine — You’re Wasting Your Budget. Here’s What to Do Instead.",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/stop-treating-marketing-like-a-vending-machine-youre-wasting-your",
        "published": "2026-09-10T18:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}