As business owners, we are used to doing everything ourselves. From bookkeeping and admin work to marketing and customer relations, we switch roles dozens of times throughout the week.
This multi-tasking hustle is par for the course for many small business owners, particularly when you’re just starting out. But in the long run, it’s just not sustainable, nor is it a smart business move.
Nobody has the time to become an expert at every aspect of their business, but some tasks are too important to be neglected, such as your marketing.
Successful marketing is vital for the growth of your business, yet learning how to market effectively can be time-consuming and confusing!
At some point, you’ll need to level up your marketing skills to help level up your business – but how do you know when it’s time to stop DIY marketing and reach out for support?
Here’s how to tell when the time is right to take a step back and ask for help marketing your business.
When Is It Time To Ask For Help Marketing Your Business?
You Don’t Have A Marketing Strategy
The most vital thing you need when marketing your business is a strategy. This is your recipe for success. Without it, you’re just wasting your time and money.
Winging it with your marketing can work for a while – you may get lucky with some aspects here and there, but long-term, you’re not going to get far without a strategy.
Your marketing strategy is your roadmap to help you decide where you want your business to go and help you get there. It defines the best marketing tactics for your business and gives you a clear plan of action to achieve your goals.
Marketing isn’t something that just happens when you have spare time; it needs to be a priority. An overarching strategy will help you plan the details of your marketing, so you know exactly what marketing activities should be done every month/week/day.
If you don’t have a decent strategy and aren’t sure how to make one, it’s time to ask for help from an expert! They can help you do the groundwork and create a plan that works for you and your business.
You’re Not Sure About Your Ideal Client
Are you crystal clear on your target market? Identifying your ideal client is a crucial marketing step that can’t be overlooked. This process allows you to create and target your content to the right people.
Getting it right is fundamental to your strategy: if you’re fuzzy on this aspect, you’ll struggle to make sales and grow your business.
If you’re not sure where to begin, my free Anti-Ideal Client Worksheets is a great starting point. You can find it here.
You’re Not Showing Up In Search Engines
Do you rank on page one of Google for your brand name? Can your potential customers easily find your business when they search for relevant keywords?
If not, it’s time to up your SEO (search engine optimisation) game in a big way. The first and most important step in marketing is to make sure people can find you. If you’re invisible online, that’s not going to happen.
SEO can be confusing and time-consuming, and the “rules” change every few months, so getting help from an experienced marketer can help you increase your online visibility faster.
You Don’t Know How To Analyse And Understand Your Metrics
Do you know which platform gets you the most sales? Or where most people find your business online? How about which marketing channel provides the best return on investment?
If you can’t answer these basic questions, you’re likely wasting money and time on your marketing efforts.
There is a ton of invaluable data available to you via your marketing metrics. It’s found in your social media insights, Google Analytics and Search Console, and your email marketing data.
Successful marketing requires a precise recipe. You need to measure, test, review, and measure again and again.
But if you don’t know how to find that data, let alone measure and analyse it, you’ll struggle to improve your marketing efforts.
Your Website Gets Traffic But Few Sales
Getting traffic to your website is great, but if it doesn’t result in sales, you’ve still got some work to do!
There are numerous reasons why this could be happening. Maybe your website doesn’t convert well. Perhaps there are problems with your site speed or design. It could be that your website content is poorly written or that you’re attracting the wrong traffic.
Getting to the bottom of these issues takes patience and experience. Asking for marketing help in this area will save you time and increase the ROI for your website.
Why You Should Get Help Marketing Your Business
Getting the right support with your marketing ensures you have all the right ingredients to get the outcomes you and your business deserve.
You’ll receive tailored help that empowers you to market more effectively, saving you time and money in the long term and allowing you to focus on other areas of your business.
You’ll get a better return on investment, be more organised and productive in your marketing efforts, and learn the skills you need to measure your success and fine-tune your strategy as you go.
If you need help developing your own unique marketing recipe, get in touch today for some expert advice.