30 Jun Stop Trying to Be a Marketer!
Why do so many smaller companies fail at marketing their business? Or worse, don’t even try to market their products or services? The answer is simple: they’re not marketers! Most small business owners did not get their degree in marketing.
So why do some companies try to be their own marketing agency? Most likely cost. The large companies have budgets to hire marketing professionals. But for start-ups or smaller family-owned businesses, this is not an option.
The other reason is, social media has led us into a false sense of hope that anyone can market their business. All they need is a social media page, right?
If this describes you, stop trying to be a marketing pro.
If this describes you, stop trying to be a marketing pro. For example, you don’t want me to be a baker. I can bake a cake out of a box, but you don’t want me baking your wedding cake! In the same way, you can post to social media, but do yourself a favor and hire a professional to handle your social media marketing.
However, it is important to know two basic ideas when marketing your business to help save you time and money:
First, ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish. Is the goal to drive more traffic to your website or storefront? Are you trying to promote a special offer or build brand awareness? The best marketing plans are ones that deliver a simple message across all platforms.
Second, whatever you do, make sure you do it with frequency and consistency. Want to start a blog? Great! Just make sure you post to the blog on a regular basis. Want to produce and run a commercial spot? Be ready to run the spot at least three times a day for 13 weeks before you see results. Want to launch a podcast? Give yourself a year to build a loyal following of prospects.
Marketing is key to long-term sustainability of your business, but real marketing takes time. Manage expectations. So many small businesses give up on marketing after only a few weeks.
There are several other things to think about in building a marketing strategy for your business. But you don’t have time for that! Hire a professional! Marketing can be surprisingly affordable if you hire the right agency. Our team would love to walk you through your marketing needs and help you come up with a plan that fits your budget.
Scott Miller is the CEO of Centerpost Media and host of the Create, Build and Manage Radio Show and Podcast. You can find Scott on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter via “@scottmillerceo.” Centerpost Media is a marketing agency with a vision to help every business they encounter with their media needs by providing outstanding quality, service and value. Centerpost Media is the parent company to BizTV, BizTalkRadio, BizTalkPodcasts and Bizvod.