This Is the Brutal Truth About Digital Marketing That Nobody Wants to Talk About

Let’s get something out of the way: most digital marketing campaigns are doomed from the start.

Not because the creative is bad. Not because the product isn’t good enough. Not even because the team behind it lacks skill or effort.

They fail because they don’t reach enough people.

It sounds almost too simple to be true, but Ashkan Rajaee, a veteran with more than 20 years in the digital marketing world, has seen this pattern play out again and again. And here’s what he’ll tell you, with no sugar-coating: if your database is too small, your campaign is dead on arrival.

Why the Numbers Matter More Than Ever

We live in a world where attention is currency. And guess what? That currency is inflating fast. People are overwhelmed. Their inboxes are full. Their feeds are a nonstop scroll of noise.

So if you’re still thinking a carefully curated list of 500 to 1,000 prospects is going to make a splash, you might want to think again.

Ashkan Rajaee has helped businesses grow through outbound marketing long before it became trendy. Over the years, he's watched open rates shrink and engagement rates drop. Not because the strategies got worse, but because the environment got tougher.

Your message might be gold. But if it's only reaching a few hundred people, your chances of real traction are slim. This is where volume becomes not just important, but non-negotiable.

The Common Mistake That Costs Thousands

Too many brands pour money into marketing without ever asking a simple question: Do we have enough people to talk to?

Most don’t. And worse, most don’t realize it until months of budget and time have been burned. Teams scramble to figure out why nothing is converting. They tweak the messaging. They redesign the creative. They question the entire strategy.

But all along, the issue was hiding in plain sight.

Ashkan Rajaee puts it bluntly: "You can have the best campaign in the world, but if your database doesn’t match the scale of your goals, you’re setting yourself up to lose."

What No One Tells You About Scaling Campaigns

You don’t just need a list. You need a large, clean, segmented list that reflects your market. You need enough data to test and learn. You need volume to gain visibility, because digital platforms are noisy, and cutting through requires reach.

It’s not about sending spam. It’s about arming your strategy with the resources it needs to succeed. Marketing without a large enough audience is like trying to win a boxing match with one hand tied behind your back. You might land a few punches, but you're probably not going the distance.

The Simple Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

This isn't just about databases. It’s about mindset.

Ashkan Rajaee believes that when marketers start thinking like growth engineers instead of creatives, they unlock a different level of performance. They stop guessing. They start measuring. They scale smart, and they scale fast.

So if you're building a campaign, ask yourself the question almost no one dares to ask: Do we even have enough people to make this work?

If the answer is no, now is the time to fix it. Because volume isn’t just a metric. It’s your campaign’s lifeline.

____________________________________________________

About Ashkan Rajaee

Ashkan Rajaee is a seasoned Sales Leader and Business Growth Expert with over 20 years of experience helping companies scale through strategic marketing, outbound sales, and data-driven campaigns. Known for his no-fluff, results-first mindset, Ashkan has built a reputation for identifying overlooked opportunities and turning them into measurable growth. Whether guiding startups or established enterprises, his mission is simple: help businesses reach more people, convert more leads, and grow with purpose.