I’m going to hold your hand while I say this: There are times when DIY marketing makes sense (we won’t deny it can work), but that time isn’t when you’re looking to scale and grow your business with more than basic marketing. Without the right help, trying to do it all yourself will take longer and cost you more in the end.
Yes, we’re a bit biased. But we’ve seen enough examples to be confident in saying this.
We can show you a cost comparison with some numbers. But first, let’s talk about some of the common DIY myths that lead to inefficient marketing.
DIY myths
Here are the top 4 myths that tend to hold business growth back.
1. Professional marketing help is only for big businesses.
Sure, flashy marketing usually has big bucks behind it. A small business is not likely to spend millions building its own app like the Nike Training app. But these tactics aren’t limited to big business. Small ones have and can build their own apps, for example, and can borrow many strategies from the corporate world. It’s all about what best suits your audience.
2. Only by doing things myself will I stay in control.
You’ll still be in control. Does a football coach control every aspect of the game? No, they guide players, give advice and create playbooks to improve play. As the “team owner,” you’re still setting goals and making the big decisions. But with outside help you have someone in your corner, helping your business play to its strengths and avoid beginner mistakes.
3. Marketing is just posting on social media anyway.
Social media is a delivery channel, only part of the big picture, and works best with other tactics. It’s good for delivering your message, but that messaging and content should be built with a purpose and a plan to help you aim for the right target. Otherwise, it’s just another message sent out into the void.
5. I can save big bucks by doing my own marketing.
We won’t deny you can save some money, but at what cost? Because it can cost more in terms of lost opportunities, time, and wasted spending.
Yes, wasted spending.
Have you tried Google or Facebook ads? A few mistakes there can cost you hundreds or even thousands. Even with help from Google or Facebook ad reps (!). Those ad reps tell customers to turn on all features so that their ad campaigns spend more money. This is known within the marketing industry. We’ve seen many examples where businesses were misled by sales reps or used strategies they heard about from friends and colleagues, but that weren’t right for their businesses.
That’s what a marketing consultant brings to the table: experience to know what works, the right skills, and a laser focus on matching strategies to your goals.
How about we compare some numbers?
A cost comparison of DIY vs. professional marketing
Here are some of the costs involved.
DIY Breakdown
Staff: Doing it yourself doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll do all the work yourself. If you hire an in-house marketer, you can expect to pay a salary of $45,000 (on the low side) or more, depending on your location and their experience.
Tools and Software: The tools needed to do it right can add up to anywhere from $500 to $2,000 monthly. This includes SEO tools, email marketing platforms, social media management tools, CRM or project management programs, stock photo/video banks, automation tools, and others.
Time: Launching your marketing program in-house will mean time spent learning and executing, or overseeing it, taking away from your time to run the business.
Agency Breakdown
Services: You’re not limited to the experience or skillset of one person, so a full range of services are available. From SEO and ad campaigns to email marketing, lead generation strategies, and much more.
Retainers or Fees: If you search online, you’ll see agency retainers starting at $3,000-5,000 a month. But professionals working with small businesses (like us) can start at $1,000 or $1,500, depending on the services provided.
Project fees are different from monthly retainers, by the way. One-time projects have a set flat fee and are not ongoing. This could involve creating a marketing plan, for example, running an ad campaign or setting up a launch promotion.
Time: Of course, you’ll need to invest some time in communicating with the agency, but everything else is fairly hands off. There’s no learning curve involved. Your plan will be executed for you and ROI results will be presented monthly.
What’s the final tally?
Small business doing DIY
- $45,000/year salary for an in-house marketer. Let’s say you hire a part-timer for budget’s sake, so we’ll use $25,000 a year.
- $500-$2,000 for tools/software. Let’s use $500 in our estimate or $6,000/year.
- Time spent can’t be estimated, but it will be higher, not to mention higher costs for inefficient strategies and inexperienced ad spending.
- Total estimate: $31,000
Small business with professional help
- Retainer fees start at $1,000-1,500/month for us, but let’s say you’re going all in and use a retainer of $3,000 or $36,000 a year.
- $0 for tools & software as they’re included in the fee. Some clients do prefer to use their own software accounts though, so let’s add $100/month or $1,200.
- Time spent will be much lower, not to mention higher efficiencies and ROI.
- Total estimate: $37,200
No surprise, using a professional costs more than DIY.
But where do you think each business will be in a year’s time?
Is it likely the one with agency help will see more growth and be farther ahead? And will that growth be worth the monetary difference? We think so.
It’s like trying to build a house on your own with YouTube, a hammer and nails. You might get it done, but if you hire an experienced contractor, it’ll get done stronger and in half the time.
So yes, professionals like us will cost more upfront, but we’ll leave you with a “stronger house” and better results in the end. Don’t let myths hold you back from considering it.
Want to talk about building your business further? Get in touch and send a message.
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