Who's your daddy?

What does that mean? It's funny and I always loved the character that coined the phrase. I think of it often when trying to explain to myself why some people get ahead in business or personally. It is multi-layered and complicated. I have been privileged to work closely with 100s of the same businesses and watch their growth or decline over a 20 year period. As I am evaluating their success or lack of, it usually comes down to this. Who had their back? Whose advice did they trust especially when it came to advertising decisions. Most business owners are so busy but still very successful. They handle their marketing as best they can but throw themselves into their work hiring many separate vendors to handle their marketing or advertising. Some handle their marketing like a "step child" and "hate it" (or hate the people they have to deal with). Why would you feel that way about the highway to your business? You feel that way because you don't know who to trust. You have been lied to and mislead in the past. You do the best you can but your best doesn't get the results you want. I have watched business owners struggle with so many different advertising vehicles and sales reps. I saw all the blaring holes in their marketing and lack of attention. At the time, I was in sales too and could only go so far to help my clients especially with competing vendors. I always wanted to be able to do more because I knew with those things done everything else would work better. Many of these business invest 1000s in advertising and do not know where there business is truly coming from. I have found some business underestimate referrals and some business underestimate the power of good advertising.

A consultant fulfills the role that you would to carefully evaluate all advertising medias, make recommendations, attempt to reduce cost when able, recommend redistribution of advertising to more effective medias depending on your service or industry. Be sure when you are evaluating for success to include a consultant who has your back. Someone who will help you direct your funds to grow your business not a sales person's resume.

You think you are saving money by handling your marketing yourself. Usually you are not. Business owners tend to buy from who they like . Whether you buy or not should have NOTHING to do with whether you like the person. I agree that makes buying more pleasant. You need to evaluate the product because that will be what your business with be in relationship with. Research is KING and who has time for that? Marketing Consultants. It's what I do.