Why Outsource Marketing?
Have you ever realized that marketing was important but you just didn’t have the time or the inclination to do it right?
Small Business Owners: Don’t Have Time to Market
Over the past few years, I have had many discussions with small business owners. I love to hear about their entrepreneurial adventures, their passions, and their successes. Our economy is better off when small businesses are thriving. Most small businesses are single person organizations or they have a skeleton staff. It seems there is always more to do than time to get it done. Once small business people find out I am a “marketing guy”, they will often share how much more marketing they really want and need to do. The problem is, there never seems to be enough time in the day, or they simply do not know where to begin. So, the well-intended marketing dreams they have never seem to get done as these tasks keep getting shoved to the side. The marketing they know they need, to continue to forge ahead and compete stronger simply never happens.
Churches: Don’t Have Marketing Expertise
I have also had many conversations with ministers who realize the importance of marketing for their churches. Especially in the area of web sites. I am regularly dismayed by how bad most church web sites are and most pastors agree and will share the shame they have for their ministry’s site. In churches, because the budgets are tight, if a volunteer comes forward willing to create a web site for the organization using FrontPage, the church will often support that well-intentioned individual. The problem is that then they are often stuck with mediocrity and don’t want to hurt the volunteer’s feelings by scrapping the project. When it comes to promoting church events, the marketing is often left to the last minute and fliers are often drafted in Microsoft Word and copied on the church’s 15 year old photocopier. The end result on both accounts are marketing tools that do not represent the organization in a professional manner, and seldom accomplish what they should or could if done professionally.
Time to Outsource Your Marketing
Bottom line is…you get what you pay for. If you are too busy or uncertain about what to do with your marketing, it will never get done and the result is that your organization suffers. If you do it yourself, or if someone in your organization volunteers to take on marketing but they don’t have the expertise, you are left with a sub-par marketing effort and again, your organization suffers with the resulting inferior promotion and branding.
Outsourcing can be a great option and you can achieve amazing results without breaking the bank. I came across an article on TechnoSailor today called Outsource What You Suck At. Steven Fisher outlines his Outsourcing Value Equation and I encourage you to do the analysis he suggests – it is well worth the time for your organization.
Don’t be afraid of marketing and don’t be afraid to pay for it. What you need to assess is this: what is the cost of not doing marketing or not doing it well? Having a professional do an assessment of your organization’s marketing needs and then having them create a MAP (Marketing Action Plan), will give structure and strategic vision to your marketing activities. What smaller organizations often forget is that the cost you pay for someone to manage your marketing is always made back in spades by the new business it brings in. You always come out ahead. And remember, you don’t have to do everything a marketing professional recommends all at once. However, if you don’t have a plan and if you don’t have someone who can execute it, your marketing intentions will vaporize and your organization will ultimately be left behind. The great thing about hiring someone to navigate your marketing for you is that it will get done and it will get done right! Then you can spend your time doing what you are really passionate about and good at.
I welcome you to share stories or thoughts about your organization’s marketing journey.
Images: Church courtesy Christ Church Stellerton, clock courtesy Acclaim Images
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http://www.MarketingTwins.com MarketingTwins-Randy
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http://www.MarketingIntegrity.ca David
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http://www.afterthelaunch.com/blog Shama Hyder
