Why not doing your marketing is good for your business

Marketing is an investment. Even if you get lots of referrals, marketing keeps your business visible should those referrals run out.

I always say that marketing isn’t a tap you turn on when you need business. It’s something you need to do consistently. And that means you need to allocate time and budget.

That’s where outsourcing marketing comes in. It helps you to be consistent and find new and repeat business.

What small business owners think about marketing

Before we dive into outsourcing marketing, let’s have a look at what small business owners like you think of marketing.

Every year, I run The Big Fat Survey of the Year. It’s my way of learning what’s important to small businesses when it comes to marketing.

Amongst other things, I ask about their personal experiences. Here are some of the results from 2021.

A mere 5% agreed that their efforts were effective in helping them find business.
95% said they do their own marketing.
Only 20% felt confident in their marketing skills.
40% stated they only spent 1-2 hours per week on their marketing.
65% spent between £100 and £999 per year on their marketing (including things like hosting, networking events, social media and so on.)

Would you put yourself in one or more of the above?

Only 5% of small businesses agree that their marketing helps them to find business. Outsourcing can help! #MinalsTips Click To Tweet

Cost vs. benefit of outsourcing marketing

Outsourcing marketing (or anything, really) does come with a cost. But what is the benefit?

Let’s say you decide to spend £500 per month on outsourcing your marketing. And that £500 is equivalent to a day spent on marketing.

The question you should ask yourself isn’t “Can I afford this?”

No!

The question you should ask yourself is “What could I do with that freed-up day every month?”

Talk to more potential customers (work out how much each one would be worth.)
Improve your customer service, encouraging existing customers to buy more.
Work on your goals for the next couple of years and create a growth plan.
Develop a new product or service.

When you add up how much these things could mean for your profits, you’ll see that you’re making an investment when you outsource your marketing.

Why outsource your marketing?

Well, if the above section hasn’t convinced you. Here are some more reasons!

Bring in expertise

Think about what you do in your business. You think of yourself as the expert in that, right? Would you say you’re an expert marketer? Of course, you know the basics. All small business owners have to! But really, an expert?

Bringing in an outsourced resource is bringing in that expertise you’re missing. They’ve done the long, hard yards in learning about their particular part of marketing. They keep their knowledge up to date. Basically, they have the know-how that you’re probably missing and don’t have enough time to learn!

It’s a cost-effective solution

You could decide your first employee will be a marketer. Now, think about how much that will cost. There’s the salary, employer’s National Insurance contributions, employer’s pension contributions, equipment, office space… I could go on.

An outsourced resource is a fixed cost. They come with their own equipment and office. There are no add-ons for that person.

A fresh, objective pair of eyes

How many times have you gone down a rabbit hole with your marketing? Always meaning to get something out and never doing it because it just needs that additional tweaking. Outsourcing your marketing means you benefit from an objective opinion. Someone who will look at your marketing with no emotional connection. Will help you approach things in a way that makes sense for your existing and potential customers.

There when you need them

As an outsourced resource, we’re used to slotting into projects and hitting the ground running. In my workday, I could be collaborating with another marketer, say a web designer, or briefing a graphic designer on your behalf. Maybe even working with one of your suppliers on a joint marketing campaign. Basically, you’re getting someone who can turn their hand to working with anyone on your behalf; that means you don’t have to. More free time for you!

Keep that marketing tap trickling

When you outsource your marketing, it gets done. You’re paying someone to do it, so they are sure as heck going to make sure they get it done. That means you have consistent marketing for your target audience. Remember all those times doing your marketing fell through the cracks? Well, outsourcing means it never will.

Outsourcing marketing is a cost-effective solution. It's an investment in your business. #MinalsTips Click To Tweet

What can you outsource?

There are lots of people out there who cover all aspects of marketing activities. We’ll come to what you can do to make sure you hire the right person. But what can you outsource?

Creating a marketing strategy (really important and will make everything else easier)
Blogging
Branding and graphic design
Social media
Email marketing
Paid social media
Google ads
SEO
Website design and maintenance
Organising events
Organising expos

There’s lots more, but these are enough to get you started!

Things to consider before outsourcing marketing

Are you raring to go? Before you do, here are some things you’ll want to think about beforehand.

Professional indemnity

Does the person or company have professional indemnity? This is a type of insurance freelancers hold. If something should go wrong and your business reputation is harmed, you can claim damages from the freelancer. Professional indemnity means they’ll be covered and be able to pay any compensation claims.

Qualifications

Anyone can say they’re a marketing expert. So, you need to do your research and make sure the person you’re about to hire is. That means asking what qualifications they have. There are lots of certifications and accreditations available from reputable organisations. In fact, did you know that Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) has its own certifications?

Outside of this, you can check for CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) qualifications. Holders of these have done formal studying and exams!

Is your company information safe?

When you work with an outsourced marketer, they’ll have access to your company information. That means things like customer data (to do email marketing) and other assets. You need to make sure that your data and company information is safe. When they send you a contract, make sure they have a confidentiality clause. And ask them how they will store any data. They should be able to tell you what they have in place to keep it safe.

Clear lines of communication

You’ll want to know how well your marketing is doing. Or how well a project is progressing. That means good communication from your outsourced resource. Make sure you agree how often communication will take place and in what format.

Hidden costs

Well, not exactly hidden. Remember, when you outsource your marketing, you’re paying for the resource to take care of your marketing. That doesn’t include the tools needed. So, make sure you know what third-party costs might be involved. Things like hosting, email marketing software, ad spend, printing, and so on.

What are you waiting for?

There are lots of reasons to outsource some or all of your marketing. I hope I’ve shown you how much benefit it can bring your business. Remember to make sure you’re clear on your goals at the outset and communicate this clearly to whomever you choose to work with.

If that person is me, book a 30-minute chat to discuss what working with me will look like!