So, you’ve decided to take on marketing all by yourself. Kudos to you! After all, how hard could it be, right? A couple of Instagram posts, maybe a blog here and there, slap a few bucks into Google Ads, and BAM—your business is the next big thing. You’re out here thinking you’re the next Don Draper. Except…you’re not.
Before you dive too deep into your DIY marketing adventure, let me tell you why that’s about as great an idea as trying to cut your own hair before an important job interview. Spoiler alert: it’s not going to end well, and you’re probably going to regret it halfway through (just like that bowl cut you tried in college).
Time: Your Most Precious (and Finite) Resource
I get it. You’re a business owner. You’ve got that “I can do it all” attitude, which is admirable and totally understandable. But let’s be real for a second—time’s a thing, and you’re running out of it. Fast.
On average, small business owners spend 20 hours a week on marketing. That’s HALF of your workweek spent trying to master Facebook ad targeting and figuring out why your email open rates are lower than the number of likes on your high school reunion photos. I mean, sure, you could do this yourself, but do you really want to? Or should you be spending those hours on, you know, actually running your business?
Handing your marketing off to a Marketing Services Provider is like giving yourself the gift of time—time to focus on what you do best. They’ve already done the hard work (years of training and expertise), so you don’t have to.
Money: It’s Slipping Through Your Fingers, and You Don’t Even Know It
DIY marketing sounds cheap until it’s not. Let’s talk about that $5-a-day ad budget you thought would bring in hordes of customers. Have you checked your results lately? Didn’t think so.
Let’s break this down. A solid 25% of small businesses waste money on ineffective PPC campaigns. That’s not even a little waste—that’s setting your money on fire while waving goodbye to any hope of a return. You see, marketing isn’t just about throwing money at an ad and hoping it sticks. It’s about strategy, targeting, creative messaging—all that good stuff that takes actual skill to get right.
When you hire a Marketing Services Provider, you’re not just paying someone to run ads—you’re paying for expertise. Expertise that makes sure your money is well-spent and your ads are getting in front of the right people. Expertise that knows how to pivot when something isn’t working so that you’re not just throwing cash down the digital drain.
Missed Opportunities: The Stuff You Didn’t Even Know You Were Missing
Okay, let’s pause for a second. When was the last time you checked in on the latest marketing trends? Like, really looked? TikTok is blowing up; AI is all the rage; and email marketing…well, email marketing is still the MVP, but it’s not going to work if you’re stuck sending out “Happy Monday!” blasts to a list of people who forgot they even subscribed to your newsletter.
Marketing changes faster than you can say “Instagram algorithm update,” and if you’re busy playing catch-up, you’re missing out. Big time. For instance, businesses that blog regularly get 126% more leads. But you’re already strapped for time—how are you going to find a spare few hours each week to churn out engaging, SEO-friendly content that also reflects your brand’s voice?
That’s where a Marketing Services Provider swoops in like your marketing superhero (cape optional). They’re on top of trends. They know what’s hot, what’s not, and what’s coming down the pike. More importantly, they know how to capitalize on those opportunities so that your business is never left behind, trying to catch up with the cool kids.
Why a Marketing Services Provider Is Your Secret Weapon
Now that we’ve covered the train wreck that is DIY marketing, let’s talk about why hiring a Marketing Services Provider is like having a cheat code to the game of business. You know, the kind that gives you infinite lives and all the upgrades.
- They’re the Experts, So You Don’t Have to Be
Marketing is a broad field. There’s SEO, social media, content creation, email marketing, data analytics, branding, advertising—I’m getting exhausted just listing them. You’re a business owner, not a Swiss Army knife of marketing skills. So why try to be all things when you can just hire a team of pros who already know this stuff inside and out?
- They Have a Plan (You Probably Don’t)
If you’ve been throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, that’s not a strategy—that’s dinner prep gone wrong. A Marketing Services Provider will give you a solid strategy that actually makes sense for your business. No more scrambling to post on Instagram because you think you should; now, you’ll have a cohesive plan that ties everything together and gets results.
- They Live and Breathe Data
Look, data can be sexy. It tells you things like what’s working, what’s not, and what you need to change to get more bang for your buck. But here’s the thing—you have to actually look at it. If you’re the type who glazes over at the sight of a pie chart, you’re probably not digging into the analytics as often as you should. That’s where a Marketing Services Provider shines. They track everything, make data-driven decisions, and adjust your marketing efforts to maximize results. No guessing, just facts.
- They Scale with You
As your business grows, so do your marketing needs. DIY might work when it’s just you and your dog in the garage (no judgment—Apple started in one too), but what happens when you’re ready to level up? That’s where a Marketing Services Provider is clutch. They can scale with you, bringing in more resources, more people, and more expertise to match your growing empire. DIY marketing can’t do that—it’ll just leave you feeling like you’re in over your head.
So What’s the Real Cost?
Let me hit you with a reality check. The real cost of DIY marketing isn’t just the wasted dollars on ineffective ads or the hours spent writing blog posts that no one reads. It’s the opportunity cost of not doing things the right way from the start. It’s the sales you’re missing out on, the customers you’re not reaching, and the growth that’s just sitting there waiting for you—if only you had the right team to help you get there.
Consider this: For every $1 spent on marketing, companies that do it right see a return of $5. That’s a 400% ROI. And if you’re not seeing numbers like that, you’re doing it wrong—or you’re trying to do it all yourself. Either way, it’s time to reconsider.
Conclusion: Friends Don’t Let Friends DIY Their Marketing
If I sound a little tough love-y right now, it’s because I care. I want to see you succeed, and the truth is, DIY marketing isn’t the way to do it. Sure, it seems like you’re saving money in the short term, but the long-term cost is much higher. Time, money, growth—you’re risking it all just to avoid paying for professional help. And honestly? That’s not the move.
So let’s make a deal: you focus on what you do best (running your awesome business), and let the pros handle the marketing. It’s what we do, and we do it well. Ready to make the switch? Hit us up at Haggerty Digital and let’s take your marketing from DIY disaster to expertly executed.
You’ve got better things to do than play marketer—leave it to those in the game all the time. We’ve got this.
