Never blindly delegate or spend your way out of critical decisions about promoting your business.
By Roy Harryman
I love the Staples’ easy button.
But, as Beverly Sills said, “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”
When it comes to marketing your business (or yourself), there is a circling flock of vultures eager to take your money and “fix” your problems. No thought is required. Just write a check.
Here are a few examples:
“I can sell you a million emails! Imagine the possibilities if you just spam millions of people with your products. You’ll retire early!” P.S. You’ll also destroy your email sending reputation and likely be shut down by any email service provider you use.
“Hello, I’m with Google and I’d like to charge you $200 per month for what is actually a free listing.” Hint: They’re not with Google.
“Take advantage of our search engine optimization (SEO) package and get pushed to the top of Google rankings!” Hint: No one can guarantee this and SEO is a long-term process, not a one-time event.
On behalf of legit marketers, I apologize for these folks. They often charge you for what is free, give you “solutions” that cause problems and leave you dependent upon them to perform even miniscule tasks.
Should you fly solo?
Does this mean you should do your own marketing because there is a “Dummies” book that tells you how?
Sometimes people in other fields have impressive skills in marketing. For those with the talent, passion and time, I say “go for it!” But often even people with adequate skills do not have the time. For those who require expert help, a contract marketing specialist can be a valuable addition.
Here's a personal example: I hire an accountant to do my taxes because I’m too busy managing operations to dedicate the time needed to do taxes right. Because of my mediocre (at best) skill level, I would need to spend a disproportionate amount of time to complete my returns. Even then, I’d probably mess something up.
We all need expert help, and it’s no different with marketing. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it.
If you’re not a marketer, you probably won’t understand every technical point about email campaigns, search engine optimization and Google Analytics. But, at the end of the day, you must still own your marketing.
A parallel is my visit to an auto mechanic. I don’t know what’s wrong with my vehicle, but I know something’s off. My goal is for the automobile to run right and stop making that weird sound. After a diagnosis, I’m presented with the results in layman’s terms and the options to move forward. I don’t know all the steps required to replace the water pump, but I know enough to take responsibility for my decision.
But what does that look like when it comes to marketing? Here’s a modest proposal.
Before you write a check to a communications professional:
You and your marketer need to understand your goals.
You need to be able to explain – and your marketer needs to understand – what success looks like to you.
You need to understand your marketer’s strategy and the “why” behind it.
And of course you must know what it will cost.
The bottom line:
Know what you want and need.
Get several recommendations for a marketing pro.
Ask lots of questions.
Then partner with a marketer to make a big impact for your business.
Roy Harryman is the principal of Roy Harryman Marketing Communications.
Helping small businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofits make a BIG impact.
