Marketing frameworks in 2025 can feel like relics of the past — academic guides that fail to keep pace with the demands of modern marketing.

With consumers cutting spending, successful teams don’t have time to wade through theory. They need tools that deliver results today. That’s where this article's focus lies.

From the 3C’s to the AIDA approach to flywheels, you’ll find actionable insights you can immediately apply. These frameworks have proven their worth in the real world.

Let's dive into what works, what doesn’t, and how to adapt when marketing frameworks fall short.

It's easy to get lost in massive amounts of jargon, particularly when it includes the alphabet soup of popular acronyms.

Think of these tested frameworks as lenses that let you focus and apply marketing know-how.

You’ll notice a lot of repetition as we go through these frameworks, and there’s a good reason for that. The same core priorities and best practices tend to rise to the top in every successful framework. That’s not a flaw — it’s a feature.

These recurring themes are what make certain approaches timeless and adaptable, even when the digital marketing landscape keeps shifting. By recognizing these overlaps, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of why they matter and how to use them effectively.

Content marketers rank creating quality content as their biggest challenge. But what defines quality?

The best content is the right content.

If you don’t know your audience, it’s hard to create messages that connect. When you understand your audience deeply, you can create personalized campaigns, refine your messaging, and focus resources where they yield the best return.

That’s where the 3C’s Framework helps. It focuses on three key areas to give you a clear picture of your market:

You can use this framework to develop a cohesive, data-driven story about your market, business, and industry.

Every marketing effort should focus on your customer. Gather information on their demographics, interests, and behaviors. Use a combination of data and qualitative feedback.

Tools like Google Analytics or social media insights show what your audience is searching for and which pages get the most traffic. This information helps you create more targeted, effective content.

Direct feedback is invaluable. Take a note from Milk Road's playbook. Along its 10-month journey to acquisition, the publication used beehiiv's built-in polls to learn what its readers wanted.

Surveys can reveal what your audience feels is missing, what they value most, and how they see your products.

Consolidate all these details into customer personas. Identify your audience's goals, challenges, and decision-making habits.

This "C" focuses on understanding — and articulating — your strengths, weaknesses, and the unique value you bring to the table.

Define your unique selling proposition (USP). What sets your products or services apart? Identify the specific value you offer that your competitors don’t.

Think about your resources, too, and align your marketing strategies with them. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Do take advantage of your team's specific knowledge and skills.

Knowing your competition isn’t about mimicking them; it’s about identifying gaps and opportunities. Analyze what they do well, where they may be falling short, and how you can position yourself differently.

Conduct a competitor analysis:

Businesses in a crowded marketplace can struggle to differentiate their products and capture the attention of the right audience. The STP model offers a proven framework for overcoming this challenge.

The letters of STP stand for:

The brilliance of the STP Model is in its precision. Instead of shouting into the void and hoping someone is listening, businesses can make the most of their time and resources.

To segment your market effectively, start by focusing on key factors like demographics (age, income, location), psychographics (lifestyle, values), behaviors (buying habits, product usage), and geography. These factors help you break your audience into groups.

Next, think about the common pain points within each group. What challenges, goals, or needs do they have? Understanding this will help you create solutions that truly connect with them.

Finally, use tools like Google Analytics and CRM platforms to learn more about your audience. These tools provide valuable insights into who your customers are and how they behave, helping you fine-tune your strategy.

After segmenting the market, the next step is deciding which segment(s) to target. This involves choosing the audience that is most viable and profitable, based on market potential and alignment with your brand.

How to evaluate segments:

Focus on segments that match your company’s strengths and long-term goals.

For example, Saga leveraged the STP framework to identify a profitable segment of over-50 lovers of travel, which they could (and do) attract with tailored packages.

The company incorporates this focus into every element of marketing and development — from imagery featuring age-appropriate models to specialized travel insurance for passengers over 65.

Positioning is where your product starts to connect with your audience. It’s all about defining your product and highlighting its value.

What sets your brand apart? How does it address the specific needs and wants of your audience? What are the practical benefits? How about the emotional ones?

Once you've found your position, use your marketing messages to establish it for the right segments. Build ads, promotions, and content tailored to your audience. Use their language and reach them through the channels they use most.

The AIDA model is a guide to leading audiences from awareness to conversion in a structured and effective way. It works because it mirrors a shopper's decision-making process.

The four stages of AIDA are:

Now, let's break down each stage with actionable insights and examples.

Step one: Get on your audience’s radar.

People are bombarded with ads, promotions, and messages, so you need to cut through the noise. Creativity and timing are key.

Experiment with striking visuals and thought-provoking headlines. Surprise or intrigue your audience. You can also tap into trending topics, memes, or challenges to associate your product with what’s already catching people’s eyes.

You also need to choose the right channels. Meet your audience where they are. Whether it’s Instagram ads, industry articles, or event sponsorships, appear in places your audience frequents.

Once you’ve grabbed attention, the next challenge is keeping it. The interest stage involves providing enough information to engage your audience and pique their curiosity.

Build trust through email sequences that consistently deliver value and come from an account with a solid sender reputation.

Pro tips:

Create an emotional connection. You can either make them want what you’re offering or show how your offer fits a known desire.

This stage is about converting interest into longing by showing how your product fits their values or solves their frustrations.

Creating a sense of urgency can also be incredibly effective. Use FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) by leveraging limited-time offers, exclusivity, or scarcity.

Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of emotions. Tap into emotional drivers by creating content that makes people feel something. Does your product offer relief, joy, pride, or a sense of status? Highlight those emotions to resonate with your audience on a deeper level.

Getting your audience to take action—whether it’s signing up, adding to cart, or clicking “buy now”—is where all your efforts pay off. You’ve captured their interest, but driving conversions means keeping the next step simple and compelling.

Clear calls to action are essential, and the process should be as easy as possible. Fewer clicks mean people are more likely to complete the action.

Boost conversions with incentives. Offering discounts, free trials, or exclusive bonuses encourages hesitant buyers.

The RACE Planning framework simplifies marketing efforts through an actionable, results-driven approach.

The acronym stands for:

Each phase of campaign management supports the next, creating a seamless flow from attracting potential customers to fostering long-term relationships.

Define metrics for each stage and choose relevant KPIs. Then optimize one area, such as acquisition or retention, before tackling others.

Any good campaign starts by attracting attention. The Reach stage is where you get your brand in front of the right audience and drive traffic to your digital assets.

Strategies to improve reach:

Success looks like website traffic, ad impressions, and social media reach.

Keep your audience hooked. The action stage is all about nurturing interest and encouraging small actions, like downloading a resource or signing up for a trial. It’s where first impressions evolve into two-way connections.

Strategies to drive action:

Success looks like: lots of email sign-ups, time spent on your website, resource downloads, and social follows.

It's the moment of truth. In the conversion stage, you need to transform engaged leads into paying customers.

Strategies to boost conversions:

Success looks like: high sales revenue, conversion rates, and new customer acquisition. This stage is where you see your ROI take shape.

An engaged audience is a happy audience. Your campaign doesn't end with a single purchase. You want customers to stick around, buy more, and become advocates for your brand.

Strategies to build engagement:

Success looks like: high customer retention rates, repeat purchases, and referrals

Pirate metrics are the only marketing framework I know that doubles as a dad joke.

This results-oriented model works well for startups and growth-driven companies. Its acronym comes from five data-driven steps forming the acronym AARRR:

Each stage addresses a crucial element of growth. Instead of tracking dozens of metrics, this framework ensures you focus on the ones that matter most for scaling.

Now, let's explore each stage and how to make them work for your business.

Acquisition is where customers first discover you. Find the channels that bring in traffic effectively.

Data analytics tools like Google Analytics let you track channel performance. Smart brands optimize top-performing channels before expanding their efforts.

Identify your audience’s preferred platforms and content formats- What do they most enjoy and where?

Roll out the welcome mat with anything from free trials to seamless onboarding. The goal is to convert initial curiosity into genuine engagement.

Simplify your onboarding process and deliver immediate value. You might highlight features or offer small wins, such as easy-to-accomplish tasks.

Track email marketing analytics to evaluate your welcome email and sign-up process.

Retention is about keeping users engaged and coming back. Businesses that do well here spend less on getting new customers and gain more from repeat users.

Develop a strong confirmation email template for immediate follow-up, and leverage reengagement campaigns and push notifications for lapsed customers.

As for your best customers, reward them with loyalty programs that deepen their relationships with your brand.

The best marketing often comes from word of mouth. Referrals focus on turning happy customers into brand advocates who actively promote your product.

Make it easy to share content with direct links and one-click options for social media and email.

Take advantage of beehiiv's referral program to encourage your fans to spread the word in exchange for discounts, free features, or exclusive perks.

Even with great acquisition and engagement, your business needs revenue to succeed. This means converting people into paying customers or increasing the lifetime value (LTV) of current buyers.

In addition to encouraging purchases, craft your pricing strategy with care. For example, tiered pricing caters to budget-conscious users while upselling power users on premium packages.

The Flywheel model is more dynamic than most marketing frameworks. Unlike a linear funnel, the Flywheel builds momentum by turning happy customers into a driving force for growth through attraction, engagement, and delight.

Happy customers drive higher retention rates and organic growth by sharing positive experiences. This model combines customer experience with the cost-effectiveness of the top newsletter services to boost your ROI.

The Flywheel model, popularized by HubSpot, shifts focus from a transactional relationship to a cyclical one. Think of it as a wheel that gains speed as energy is applied.

The energy comes from your customers' experiences. Each new satisfied customer adds momentum to the wheel, helping you attract others.

As with the other marketing frameworks, you can break the flywheel down into distinct stages:

Unlike the sales funnel, which stops at the point of sale, the Flywheel ensures continued focus on your customers, making them a key growth driver.

Spark interest. Craft campaigns that pull people in and make them want to learn more about your brand.

Encourage sign-ups with free content and resources. Take advantage of winning opt-in forms and campaigns to incentivize subscribers. You should also make it easy to join your list. Bloated enrollment processes deter prospects.

Then, build engaging welcome sequences that nurture the relationship and position your brand as an authority.

Use the series to introduce your brand, mission, and values. Share your story and offer something valuable, like a discount or freebie.

Optimize subject lines and preheaders to improve your email open rates. Tease them with what they can expect to find in the message's body.

Once you've captured their attention, it’s time to deepen the relationship. The engagement stage is where your emails should nudge potential buyers and build trust.

Personalization and segmentation are essential. Not all subscribers are the same, and one-size-fits-all emails rarely work. Use segmentation to group your audience based on behaviors, preferences, or demographics.

Send content that resonates with specific groups- For cart abandoners, an email with a reminder and a special offer could seal the deal.

Make your emails more engaging with interactive elements such as polls, quizzes, or videos. For instance, you could include a short quiz to help customers discover the best products for their needs.

Instead of pushing sales, focus on providing helpful information that builds confidence in your brand. Share customer testimonials, case studies, or educational content that highlights all that your product or service brings to the table.

Work to build customer trust and loyalty with each connection. Some customers take more wooing than others, but the effort pays off in the long run.

Now that your emails have converted leads into customers, it’s time to keep the Flywheel spinning by delighting them.

Go the extra mile with post-purchase content. You might send a how-to guide or tips to maximize the value of their purchase.

People are also more invested when they feel heard. Send emails asking for reviews or feedback after they’ve used a product or service. For bonus points, close the loop by showing how you've implemented their suggestions.

Customer milestones are another opportunity. Acknowledge anniversaries or birthdays with personalized emails — and maybe a special offer — to show you care.

Finally, everyone loves perks. Create an exclusive loyalty program for your email list and reward long-term customers with early access to sales, sneak peeks at new products, or invite-only events.

A better heading would be: What I've Learned Again and Again. The biggest takeaways lie in the lessons that span frameworks.

No matter the framework you choose, they begin with knowing your audience.

Take the 3C’s Framework, for instance, with its focus on understanding customers and competitors. The same is true of the STP Model, which emphasizes segmenting your audience before tailoring your positioning.

This recurring focus highlights a universal rule in marketing. Without a deep understanding of who your audience is, what they need, and how they think, the rest of your strategy will be guesswork.

Whether you're building funnels with AIDA or driving growth with Pirate Metrics, never lose sight of the people you're trying to reach.

One thing I’ve learned is that no framework works straight out of the box for every scenario. Real-world marketing rarely aligns perfectly with textbook examples.

Frameworks shed light on tactics and priorities, but your ability to adapt them to your unique business goals, timelines, and resources makes all the difference.

Even the best marketing frameworks are flexible guides, not hard rules. The best marketers know when to adjust and when to follow the script.

After trying these different frameworks, one striking similarity stands out: they often emphasize the same core work. Whether it’s audience research, clear messaging, or continuous optimization, the frameworks all rely on foundational marketing principles.

The 3C’s and STP highlight understanding and segmenting audiences, while AIDA and Pirate Metrics focus on guiding them through the steps of your strategy. Even frameworks like RACE and Flywheel Thinking ultimately aim to align execution with consistent brand growth.

This overlap shows that choosing a framework matters less than committing to the foundational work. The best framework for your brand is the one that aligns with your strategy, resources, and goals.

Success depends on how well you implement it, not which model you choose.

Frameworks are meant to provide structure and strategy, but they're not a guaranteed path to success. Sometimes, they simply don’t live up to expectations.

Failure doesn’t mean the frameworks are inherently flawed. It often points to issues in how they’re applied or how well they align with your organization’s goals.

Understanding common pitfalls can help you spot trouble early and adjust.

These models should guide strategy, but they're not step-by-step playbooks for every situation.

When you apply frameworks too literally, they lack necessary nuance and real-world responsiveness. Take the AIDA model. Customers may jump straight from awareness to desire, or their desire may flag and fall back down to interest.

Being overly rigid creates blind spots and makes it harder to adjust to fluid situations. Your campaign — or even your brand — can start to feel out of touch.

The model you choose must reflect your unique vision and audience. Misalignment wastes your team's time and resources.

Frameworks like STP or Pirate Metrics rely heavily on accurate, up-to-date data about your audience. If the data you’re using is incomplete or outdated, it leads to decisions based on false assumptions, like targeting audience segments that no longer exist.

For instance, focusing heavily on millennial professionals when your market has shifted toward Gen Z might waste resources and miss critical opportunities.

An even bigger issue is applying a framework that doesn’t align with your business goals.

Imagine a startup adopting the Flywheel model meant for long-term customer engagement when its priority should be quick growth and lead generation. The brand could fail before its wheels ever get going.

Frameworks shine when they provide clarity and focus. But when they take center stage at the expense of creative thinking, you risk turning your marketing into a paint-by-numbers exercise.

If you want to craft authentic, emotionally resonant campaigns, you can't neglect the role of creativity in marketing. It's central to adapting strategies to shifting, nuanced contexts.

For instance, with Pirate Metrics, the heavy focus on funnel mechanics like activation or retention can overshadow the human element of storytelling and connection.

Without room for innovation, campaigns often feel overly formulaic. They won't differentiate your brand or engage customers in competitive markets.

Here’s how you can make adjustments that keep your strategy moving forward and ensure a marketing strategy framework serves your unique business goals.

Think of these models as tools, not rules. When one feels wrong for your brand’s needs or operation, tweak it to reflect your situation.

For example, Pirate Metrics might be too detailed for a small startup with limited resources. It could focus on just the first two stages (acquisition and activation) and slowly introduce the rest as the team grows more comfortable.

You can combine the strengths of multiple frameworks to create a hybrid strategy. Just pull the most relevant elements from different models and merge them into something tailored for your brand.

For example, you might use the audience segmentation and positioning focus of the STP Model alongside the action-driven structure of AIDA. The result? A campaign that begins with well-defined target insights and flows naturally into stages designed to build awareness, interest, and action.

Similarly, blending the long-term customer engagement strategies of the Flywheel model with the conversion-driven priorities of RACE could help balance immediate sales with sustainable growth.

Note: successfully blending frameworks requires a deep understanding of each model and a clear vision of your goals. Start by identifying which aspects of each framework address key gaps in your current strategy, and experiment with integrating those pieces.

Be mindful of overcomplicating your processes and losing a framework's clarity and focus.

Think of your strategy as a living system that evolves based on real-world feedback. This means testing new ideas, analyzing results, and refining your approach continuously.

For instance, if you find your email campaigns are underperforming at the “Engage” stage of RACE, try A/B testing different subject lines, testing the timing of emails, or incorporating interactive content like polls or quizzes.

Don’t be afraid to test different frameworks in isolation to see which fits your organization best. A short-term campaign, for example, might thrive on the structure of AIDA, while a long-term, multi-channel effort could lean more on RACE.

Keep tests aligned with your goals, and only tweak one element at a time to measure impact. Over time, this iterative approach builds confidence in your decisions and sharpens your ability to pivot when necessary.

Make sure your team understands why changes are being made and how they align with business goals. Document your processes clearly, so everyone stays on the same page, even during transitions.

Modern brands adapt marketing frameworks with flexibility and creativity, using them as tools to achieve results without overcomplicating strategies.

The AIDA model helped Netflix change how we consume entertainment. The brand intentionally aligned each marketing phase with the customer experience.

Netflix’s success highlights the power of customization. A successful AIDA campaign should do more than promote product features. It should align messaging with audience desires in a way that feels personal and engaging.

Creator and entrepreneur Dan Koe built a $2 million-a-year business by focusing on content that attracts, engages, and delights.

By positioning his newsletter as the foundation for all content efforts, Koe developed a scalable system. Each issue caters to 120,000+ dedicated readers and doubles as repurposable content for platforms like YouTube.

Koe optimizes both his time and the reach and engagement that each issue generates. His success proves brands can scale without sacrificing quality by focusing efforts on high-impact assets and refining distribution.

Grammarly adapted the pirate metrics framework for the competitive SaaS space:

Grammarly’s success emphasizes breaking down user journeys stage by stage, meeting prospects' needs with precision.

The RACE model (Reach, Act, Convert, Engage) powered the marketing campaign behind Warner Bros.’ Barbie. With a $150 million budget, Warner Bros. left no stone unturned in its quest for cultural relevance.

From social media takeovers to interactive activations like giant Barbie doll boxes, the campaign achieved mass visibility and encouraged user-generated content.

The studio even leaned into the unlikely pairing of simultaneous releases for Barbie and Oppenheimer. #Barbenheimer took the internet by storm with a ton of neon-pink, explosive memes.

A seamless ticketing process ensured conversions, and highlighting the movie's nostalgic themes fostered emotional connections that drove repeat viewings and recommendations.

Want proof that brands can effectively blend and customize marketing frameworks?

beehiiv creator and content marketer Perrin Carrell developed the F.U.C.D. (Find, Understand, Create, Distribute) framework as a path for connecting with external audiences.

Examine.com boosted organic traffic and generated an estimated 64,700 visits each month through long-form research content tailored to health and wellness enthusiasts.

By gating premium sections for free subscribers, the brand amassed leads and unlocked $558,000 in annual revenue from memberships.

These types of marketing frameworks have proven their power. Each framework offers structure and guidance for brands seeking clarity, launching a product, streamlining campaigns, or scaling their efforts.

Creativity and innovation are just as important as the frameworks themselves. The difference between good and great marketing rests in how well you understand your audience and your ability to evolve your approach when needed.

If you’re ready to take your marketing efforts to the next level, choose a tool that supports your growth. Platforms like beehiiv can give you the insight and multi-channel tools to take your marketing to the next level.

Sign up for a free trial of beehiiv today. Your audience is waiting.

Why Trust Me

I've been practicing and publishing about marketing best practices for years, working with different businesses to refine their strategies and grow. My goal is to provide actionable insights that cut through the noise and help you market your brand with confidence.

Marketing frameworks are structures or models that help businesses plan, execute, and evaluate their marketing strategies.

They provide a roadmap to guide different marketing elements and channels. They can make it easier for marketers to set goals, analyze data, and achieve results.

There are other marketing frameworks, too. The 5 A framework outlines five stages of a customer's buying decision, helping marketers understand and influence their behavior. Here’s a breakdown:

This framework helps businesses create strategies that guide customers seamlessly through each stage.

The 5 C's framework focuses on analyzing key areas critical to a marketing strategy. These are:

By examining these areas, you can craft more effective marketing strategies.

The 5 P’s focus on the essential elements of a marketing mix. They guide how you develop, promote, and deliver your product or service. The components are:

Balancing these elements helps create a cohesive and effective marketing plan tailored to your goals.