Malaysian small and medium-sized enterprises or SMEs are the backbone of the national economy. They are contributing at least 37 per cent to GDP and employing nearly half of the nation’s workforce. Yet despite this significant role, we noticed that they are pretty much confined to the domestic market. They are not able to translate ambition into reality when it comes to regional growth. The problem is not a lack of ideas, capital, or ambition. Rather, it is the absence of one critical foundation. And that is the marketing infrastructure.
Strategy without execution
Over the past few years, many SMEs have become increasingly open to bringing in external advisors. They engaged a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to draft marketing strategies that can deliver growth. Yet what happens next is telling.
Instead of committing to execution, most business owners pull back. They are hesitant to form a dedicated marketing team. They are reluctant to outsource. They are unwilling to allocate the budgets required to implement the very strategies they approved. In many cases, we have experienced it ourselves; they get the existing staff from other functions, such as sales, operations, or even tech, to execute those marketing strategies. In other words, their marketing team is “seconded”. Their status is more or less part-time. The result is predictable: inconsistency in the activities, many things aren’t progressing, too busy and so on. In the end, the strategy never really materialises in the market.
This approach, while seemingly cost-efficient, proves to be counterproductive. They should know better that marketing demands specialised skills, constant testing, and sustained effort to see results. Stretching existing employees thin not only dilutes marketing performance but also reduces productivity in their core responsibilities.
Marketing as infrastructure
The situation mirrors a broader economic truth. Malaysia, as a country, has always been more attractive to foreign investors than some neighbouring countries, not because of lower costs, but because of stronger infrastructure. From ports, transport networks, taxes, digital connectivity, and a relatively stable business environment. Infrastructure reduces friction, improves reliability, and signals readiness for growth.
The same goes for Marketing. It plays the same role within a company. Instead of seeing it as a cost centre, in reality, it is pretty much a core infrastructure that is critical towards expansion. A properly staffed and resourced marketing function creates visibility, builds trust, and opens doors to new markets. Without it, even the most innovative products struggle to gain traction.
Two diverging paths
Broadly, from our point of view, SMEs fall into two categories. The first are firms that treat marketing as an afterthought, something that is not that important when it comes to producing tangible results. They draft strategies but are never serious about the execution, or they delegate marketing to staff already juggling other responsibilities. These businesses may sustain themselves locally, but they struggle with growth, let alone breaking out of the domestic market. Their visibility is low, their customer acquisition is inconsistent, and their growth is fragile.
The second are the SMEs that recognise marketing as a growth engine. They invest in dedicated marketing teams, whether in-house or outsourced, capable of producing and distributing content, executing campaigns, managing digital presence, and tracking results. For these SMEs, marketing becomes a structured system rather than an afterthought. Over time, this infrastructure pays for itself through stronger brand equity, higher conversion, and access to opportunities in regional markets.
It comes down to decisions
Depending on how the SMEs in Malaysia look at this, the lesson is very straightforward. They must decide how they view marketing. Is it a cost centre or an enabler to grow? Just as physical infrastructure unlocks trade and investment, marketing infrastructure unlocks growth and resilience. Without it, these SMEs will remain visible only in their imagination. In a few years, they will gradually become insignificant and obsolete.
Somebody up there in the company must decide. Build the marketing infrastructure, or risk being left behind and becoming history.
