Running a business isn’t easy, right? You wear all the hats, juggle tasks, and by the end of the day, you’re beat.
You may be working for yourself now, but sometimes it feels like the business is running you. If this sounds familiar, let’s chat.
The Big Issues:
1. Too Much on Your Plate: You’re the boss, the chef, the cleaner, and the PR guru. It’s a lot. And guess what? Something is bound to slip through the cracks. It might be the marketing, it might be stock control, but sure as eggs are eggs you cannot cope with everything on your own.
Knowing when to grow beyond a one man business can be the hardest decision you need to make. Go too early and your extra staff costs could bury you. Leave it too late and you could already have let thousands slip through those cracks.
2. No Time for Trends: Social media is fast, marketing is constantly evolving, new ways of doing old things are always being discovered. Miss a beat, and you’re missing out. But who has the time to keep up?
As a marketing professional I spend literally hours every day reading and staying abreast of new developments and fresh ideas, but my clients have a hard enough job staying up to date with their own industry.
3. DIY Doesn’t Always Work: Ever tried to fix a leak and ended up with a flood? Same goes for marketing and other business disciplines. Sometimes, DIY can hurt more than help. And the more complex and developed things become the crazier it is to try and do it all yourself.
If you own a modern car chances are you won’t be servicing it yourself, changing spark plugs, oil and tyres, just like my dad used to do. Not only are things more complex now but you will also need access to very advanced tools and equipment, that it just wouldn’t make sense to invest in.
Overload Leads To:
– Lost Sales: Bad or no marketing means folks don’t see you. No eyes, no buys. Simple.
– Burn Out: Doing it all can wear you out. And a tired boss isn’t good for anyone. It’s not only not much fun it’s a major reason why new businesses fail.
– Missed Chances: The right move at the right time can be gold. Miss it, and it’s gone. If you are not in a position to take advantage of opportunities that crop up, you clearly need to make changes.
The Fix:
If you find yourself in this position and are not sure what to do next, then I hope that the following ignites your next move forward.
1. Get Help: Hire a pro, you can start on a part-time basis. An independent marketing consultant isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg. If they are not creating more revenue than they are costing over a year then you have the wrong consultant.
Let them handle the posts, pics, and tweets but above all get someone to start up your email list building. If you already have a bank of existing clients then you have an incredible source of future income just waiting for someone to develop for you. You focus on what you do best, running your business.
2. Plan Ahead: Set aside an hour a week. If you have a vision for where you want your Social Media marketing to go, then you can direct your marketing consultant. Plan the topics, check out trends, and get ahead of the game.
You can also hand over all of this to your marketing consultant and get them to brief you on their plans say once a month, so that you can still have control on the direction you want taken and stay on top of new trends. Your marketing consultant will do all the leg work.
3. Learn a Bit: Use some of the time you will get back to do some reading so that you know the basics. This way, even if you hire out the marketing you’re not running blind.
So, take a breath. You got this. And remember, it’s okay to ask for help. Your customers, your staff, your business and most definitely your spouse or partner, will thank you! 🚀🌟