Most small business owners are in the same boat: They wear too many hats. It makes sense, especially when you are starting out. Everything is more expensive than you thought it would be, things take more time than you thought, and you can rarely afford to hire extra people to fill in the gaps. So what do you do? You go fix it yourself.
While there is something to be said about a person that can take the initiative and get things done, sometimes it isn’t the smartest course of action. Sure, you can hammer a nail in with a pair of pliers, but is it really the best solution? The same thing can be applied to your marketing efforts!
Marketing your business is a multi-faceted, dynamic process that takes time and effort. Between web design, social marketing, paid advertising, email marketing, and direct mailing, there is a lot to cover! While you may think it is better to do things yourself, you can actual cause more harm than good to your businesses internet health by marketing your business poorly online. Don’t have time to write content, so you just copy someone elses just to get something up? – Not good. Want to run a contest on social media and you just say “whoever likes this will win!”? – Not good. As with everything, there are better ways, and worse ways to go about doing them.
This is a lot of info so where do you, the business owner, come into the picture? We have already established that you want to do everything you can, and we have also established that this can be harmful to your business. What we haven’t mentioned is how you can leverage your strengths to enhance your businesses` online development!
Some people write well, some people are tech savvy, and some people just know how to talk to people. Use your strengths to your advantage for your internet marketing. If you like talking to people then why not start a discussion about your brand on a forum or social media? Start the discussion and then answer questions and get engagement for your business. If you like writing, why not start a blog about your business and services, this will help add validity to your business and the things you write about online. If you are tech savvy, why not start directory listings and install some analytics software on your site so you can see who is coming from where?
Don’t be afraid to say “no” when it comes to the many spheres of internet marketing. You are only one person, and you can only do so much at once. Don’t try to do something you are very uncomfortable with or way outside of your scope – not only will you likely generate poor results, but you could also do more harm than good. Stick to your strengths and compile a list of things that are outside of your scope. Look around for small marketing firms or contractors that specialize in your particular gaps and start a conversation. You would be surprised at how often a skilled contractor will work with you if they know your situation.
Read all this and still feel like you have too many hats? Ready to step back and let professionals help you where you need it? Why not give DirectiveGroup a call at 1-866-925-9524? We have years of experience helping businesses owners just like you get greater exposure online. Call us and ask how we can help – I bet you won’t regret it!
