Startup and SMEs Marketing Playbook- 2025 | Agency Founder Behind HCL, Dalmia, SBI Campaigns

In this episode of ThinkTank with Aman, we sit with Neeraj Sancheti — one of India's fastest-growing agency founders trusted by brands like HCL, Dalmia Cement, SBI, Nissan, Renault, and Paytm — to decode how small businesses can market smarter in 2025.

This conversation is a playbook for any entrepreneur who’s tired of guessing what works.

⏱️ Timestamps:

0:01 – 1:16 ➤ Trailer
1:17 – 2:50 ➤ Introduction
2:51 – 5:36 ➤ Why Businesses Fail at Marketing
5:37 – 6:22 ➤ Major Challenges of CMOs in Marketing
6:23 – 7:20 ➤ Top 3 Mistakes Businesses Make in Marketing
7:21 – 8:31 ➤ Is Doing New Campaigns Constantly a Good Thing?
8:32 – 9:10 ➤ Large Focus vs. 2–4 Key Things in Marketing
9:13 – 13:39 ➤ AI in Marketing — Why is Everyone Running Toward Virality?
14:00 – 17:06 ➤ The ₹3000 Crore Influencer Marketing Industry
17:07 – 18:31 ➤ If You Have ₹1 Lakh – Top 2 Areas to Invest for Brand Growth
18:32 – 19:40 ➤ UGC in India Has Taken a Different Route
19:50 – 21:48 ➤ Top 2 Things That Will Stay Relevant Throughout Marketing
22:00 – 23:51 ➤ AI Changing the World of Marketing
24:20 – 26:53 ➤ SEO Through AI Is Good?
26:50 – 33:20 ➤ What Is the Future of Marketing?
33:21 – 35:00 ➤ Rapid Fire
35:01 – 35:20 ➤ Outro

💡 What You’ll Learn:

The biggest marketing mistakes SMEs make (and how to fix them)

What “next-gen marketing” actually means for small businesses

Where to invest your first ₹1 lakh if you’re a new startup

How to compete with bigger brands without burning money

The future of marketing for Indian SMEs — AI, UGC, data, and slow marketing

How small agencies and young founders can land high-value clients
If you’re building a company in a Tier 2 or Tier 3 city,
If you’re a founder trying to scale without a big team,
If you run an SME and want marketing that actually brings customers —

🎧 This episode is your roadmap.
Tune in. Take notes. Build smarter.