Small business owners often want to have their hands on marketing efforts – and when you first start out, you may need to. But as you scale, you'll eventually need to rely on a marketing expert to not only increase effectiveness, but also save time and energy to focus on running your business.
Small business owners are tough. They have to be: It's challenging to create a business and keep it afloat. Around half of new small businesses don't survive past the first five years. Pouring your heart and soul into something that could fail makes you very invested in its success.
Unfortunately, this personal investment and caution means that many small business owners are hesitant to let someone else get involved and handle a portion of their business, even when it would help them grow. Business owners are used to doing everything themselves, but eventually, it's just not realistic to continue doing so. There are only so many hours in the day!
If you're trying to figure out if you should take on the work of marketing your business yourself or hire a marketing expert, there's a lot to consider. There are many benefits to outsourcing tasks if you're able to let go and delegate a little. Here are just some of the reasons you should bring on some marketing help.
1. Marketing is a full-time gig.
Entrepreneurs are sharp, savvy and typically great at learning new skills. Yes, you absolutely could learn everything you need to know to plan and execute effective marketing campaigns. But let's be honest – you don't have time for that. Modern marketing is complex and requires a wide variety of skills and breadth of knowledge that can take years to acquire. Your business can't limp along until you've learned everything you need to know about digital marketing.
As you scale, you need to focus your time and energy on activities only you can do. Marketing is crucial to your business's long-term success. But it's a full-time gig in its own right, and you already have one: running your company.
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2. Hiring a marketing expert saves time and money.
One of the biggest reasons business owners dismiss the idea of hiring a marketing expert is the cost. They figure that because they can write and use social media, they can get along just fine. Unfortunately, that logic often backfires when they spend time on content and money on ads, only to get little to no return on investment. The upfront cost of hiring someone varies by their experience, but a digital marketing manager makes a median salary of $57,699 per year. That's a lot upfront, but the long-term benefits of having a marketing professional on the team – plus the return on your marketing investments – saves money in the long run.
If you're still early in business and you can't afford a full-time marketing expert, you're not automatically out of luck. Freelancers and contractors often charge higher rates overall for their work, but you can hire them on an occasional or project basis and you won't need to provide benefits. This can be a great option for website copy or consistent posts for your blog.
3. It's an opportunity to learn and grow.
If you're interested in learning more about marketing, hiring someone can enhance your learning. They can teach you tips and tricks your competitors might not know. You'll be able to quickly learn from an expert and gain insights that would take you years to discover on your own. They'll know more ways you can acquire new customers and how to best go about them, such as utilizing your existing customer base for referrals and cultivating social media relationships.
4. Social media marketing is complex – you need an expert.
Every modern marketing strategy needs a social media component. It's a great way to build engagement, create word-of-mouth brand awareness, and tell powerful stories that help sell products. However, social media marketing is complex and extremely competitive.
Today, we're exposed to about 5,000 ads per day, versus around 500 back in the 1970s. To cut through that noise and get noticed, brands need dedicated and creative social media managers to create great content and promote it. An expert can help small business owners navigate this area of the digital realm and get ahead of competitors who are still doing their own lackluster social media posting.
How so? Well, a digital marketing expert will possess the analytical and social skills to quickly identify your target audience and better understand who your customers are and what they need. They can also help you get your customers' attention by using your social media channels in the most effective way possible.
Improve your bottom line with a marketing expert.
If you're still on the fence about hiring someone to do your marketing, think about this: No one will buy your product or service if they don't know it exists. Marketing experts know how to get a company noticed and can jump right in on implementing new strategies. It may take a few months to start seeing the results of these strategies, but in the end, it's an investment that will pay off and allow you to start scaling.