Kevin Harrington

Why Owner‑Managed Businesses Struggle with Digital Marketing

digital marketing adoption-2

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Kevin Harrington

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Most owner-managed businesses still make marketing decisions based on gut feel, habit and hearsay – not evidence.

I’ve just published a new paper looking at how OMBs and SMEs really decide between online and offline marketing – and what that means for sectors like construction, retail and professional services.

Drawing on UK government research and SME studies, it explores:

  • What actually influences SME media/marketing choices
  • Which sectors gain the biggest upside from digital (and which are still lagging badly)
  • How local vs regional vs national territory changes the online/offline mix
  • The relationship between online marketing spend, headcount and location

If you work with, or run, an owner-managed business and you’re rethinking your marketing mix, you may find it useful.

>>> download the paper

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Kevin Harrington
I’m a UK-based B2B marketing consultant, specialising in strategic advice for SME business owners. I bring extensive hands-on expertise to every client engagement. Senior leadership roles across technology, media, payments, and publishing have shaped my practical approach. Highlights include serving as Chief Marketing Officer at The Panoply plc (now TPXimpact), Chief Commercial Officer at Tungsten Network, and Global Marketing Director at BBC Worldwide. Over the years, I’ve guided numerous SMEs through transformation and value creation. Helping businesses evolve and thrive is a genuine passion. Practical marketing insights and succession planning strategies are at the heart of what I do, as I believe growing a business’s asset value should be a rewarding and positive journey for every entrepreneur.
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