"Kills brands" — Shark Tank investor Lori Greiner reveals how marketing myopia ruins businesses

In an Instagram post on March 4, 2025, Shark Tank investor Lori Greiner warned that marketing myopia can lead to business failure by focusing too much on products over customer needs. She stated:

"Marketing myopia kills brands. It's when you focus too much on your product and forget what your customers actually need."

For the unversed, marketing myopia is a business concept describing a company's tendency to focus too narrowly on its product rather than addressing broader customer needs. This short-sighted approach can limit growth, reduce market relevance, and lead to long-term failure.

Lori Greiner's post emphasized that businesses must look beyond their product, considering customer experience, convenience, and evolving demands. This lack of adaptability can result in lost growth opportunities, eventually leading to a decline in relevance and profitability.

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Shark Tank's Lori Greiner gives insights on the dangers of marketing myopia

In her Instagram post, Lori Greiner explained how marketing myopia affects businesses by highlighting a common mistake entrepreneurs make. She stated:

"Say you own a pizza place and you're obsessed with creating the perfect recipe. You think you're in the pizza business, right? Wrong. You're actually in the business of satisfying hunger and giving people a great experience."

This highlights the importance of viewing a business beyond the product itself. Focusing solely on product quality without considering other factors can limit a company’s success. The Shark Tank investor elaborated:

"Your pizza might be amazing, but if customers want faster delivery, gluten-free crust, or vegan cheese and you don't offer it, they'll go somewhere else."

Greiner pointed out that prioritizing customer needs over product quality is key to long-term success. If businesses lag behind the shift in consumer interests, they stand to lose them to competing enterprises offering better solutions. To avoid this, businesses should regularly scan customer needs, market forces, and service development.

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The broader concept of marketing myopia

According to Harvard Business Review, Theodore Levitt first presented the theory of marketing myopia in 1960. He argued that companies perish when they narrow their attention to their products instead of customers' needs.

He insisted that businesses need to define themselves based on the value they create and not on the goods or services they make. Levitt pointed out that industries tend to believe they are in a "growth market" and fail to notice changes in consumer demand.

Levitt explained that long-term success requires continuous evolution, noting that businesses do not fall due to market saturation but because they fail to notice and react to changes in needs. His research urged businesses to change their approach, from being product-based to customer-based.

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How businesses can overcome marketing myopia

To avoid marketing myopia, the Shark Tank investor advised companies to shift from a product-centered mindset to a customer-focused approach, saying:

"Put your customers first. Focus on more than just the product. Think about the experience, the convenience, and what they truly need."

She emphasized that businesses must actively seek customer feedback, observe trends in the sector, and refine their products to changing needs. Long-term success goes beyond product creation, it requires attention to technological innovation, shifting consumer trends, and service improvements.

The Shark Tank investor emphasized that when one expands his/her vision, businesses can create new opportunities and stay relevant in the marketplace.

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