When the Story Breaks: Why Your Marketing Is Tanking Contract Renewals

Romina Cadel
May 19
2 min read

In today’s digital landscape, customers are smarter, more skeptical, and less forgiving than ever. They’ve been burned before — by coaching programs that overpromise, by SaaS platforms that underdeliver, by “game-changing” solutions that felt more like gimmicks. When the hype fades and the reality sets in, contract renewals reveal the painful truth: your marketing story broke.

And when it breaks, trust goes with it.

Broken Promises = Broken Retention

Contract renewals aren’t just a metric for the customer success team. They’re a reflection of whether your brand delivered on what your marketing promised. And when there’s a disconnect between what customers needed, what your story sold, and what they actually got, they don’t just cancel — they warn others.

“Not worth it.”

“Didn’t live up to the hype.”

“Wish I had read the fine print.”

This isn’t just churn — it’s reputational damage. And no acquisition funnel is strong enough to overcome a leaky brand promise.

Marketing Owns More Than Leads

Too many teams see marketing as the front end of the customer journey. “Bring in the leads, then pass them off.” But that mindset is costing you. Marketing doesn’t just drive traffic — it builds expectations. It creates the story customers believe in. And if that story can’t hold up post-sale, you’re not just losing money — you’re breaking trust.

Your job isn’t done when a deal closes. It’s just begun.

Case in Point: Domo vs. Disney

Take Domo. Despite its aggressive sales strategy, the company’s renewals lag behind industry norms, hovering around 71–79%. The culprit? Marketing promises didn’t match product delivery. Customers expected a Ferrari — they got a lawnmower. The result? Churn, stagnation, and fewer paths forward.

Now contrast that with Disney. With over $73 billion in goodwill alone, the company is a masterclass in delivering on its marketing story. Every time a family returns to a park or streams a film, they’re saying, “We still trust you.”

How Marketing Can Win the Renewal Game

So, how can marketers stop bleeding trust and start owning renewals?

1. Ruthlessly Audit Your Story

Look at every claim, every message. Then cross-check it with reality. If your team promises “quick setup” but customers need three calls to onboard, it’s time to realign both the story and the product.

2. Map Renewal Moments

Don’t wait for customers to disappear. Interview churned users, analyze feature adoption, and pinpoint when expectations drop off. Then fix it — fast.

3. Keep the Conversation Going

The story shouldn’t stop at checkout. Follow up with helpful guides, tutorials, and onboarding flows that reinforce value. Trust isn’t built once — it’s maintained.

Key Takeaways

Contract renewals reveal the true performance of your marketing.
If your story breaks, customers won’t just leave — they’ll warn others.
Marketing must extend beyond acquisition to own the full customer journey.
Every renewal is a sign your story held up — or didn’t.

Expert Insights

Retention isn’t just a metric — it’s a trust signal. The best marketers don’t just create buzz; they create belief that lasts well beyond the sale. Track renewal rates as closely as lead volume, and ask yourself often:

Did we promise something we couldn't deliver?

Because in 2025, trust is the only thing customers are really buying.