Small business owners across the country are becoming increasingly aware that they can’t just leave online marketing out of their business strategy. Ten years ago, businesses may have gotten away with it, but the ways in which consumers find businesses and services have changed tremendously since then.
As a result, more and more small businesses are looking to either develop a marketing strategy with their existing resources, or outsource the work. There are difficulties inherent in either strategy: trying to keep on top of the ever-changing Google algorithm updates on your own or having to worry about outsourced employees committing any acts of fraud in their marketing practices (an area where learning about fidelity bonds can be helpful).
With those challenges in mind, here’s how to put together a first-rate marketing team, even on a modest budget.
To Outsource or Not to Outsource?
This is the most fundamental question a small business faces when putting together an online marketing strategy. Outsourcing, in this case, could mean hiring someone’s college-age nephew to do social media management, or it could mean bringing in another professional firm.
Working with someone within your company obviously has the advantage of familiarity and accountability, though there’s a danger here. Many business owners will throw marketing and social media responsibilities onto, say, an HR manager, as an additional responsibility. The issue here is that this can lead to overworking and a lack of quality. Considering the impact that good online marketing can have on your business, it’s likely worth investing a bit more.
If you’re going to hire someone to do your marketing, then you’ve got to weigh the benefits of finding someone close to home or bringing in an expert from farther afield. First, explore outside firms with expertise in your particular industry. While any large firm with enough expertise can likely adapt to your industry, if you can find someone with related experience and no conflicts of interest, you’ll be in a great position.
If you’ve decided to outsource, there are some things you will need to look out for. There will always be firms or individuals trying to scam you, assuming you don’t know much about marketing and they can therefore get away with it.
What to Be Wary of
Let’s say you take Forbes’ advice and decide to “leave marketing up to the experts.” The first thing to look at is the price. Of course you’re going to look for the best deal, but there are prices low enough to be counted as red flags. If a firm is offering Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services for just a few hundred dollars a month, you should be skeptical.
This is because some firms that operate this way are essentially scams. They offer high commissions to bring on many clients, overpromise, underdeliver, and survive with a high turnover rating. Small businesses are perfect targets for these kinds of companies.
How can you avoid this? Start by looking at reviews. Moz’s list of recommended SEO companies is a great place to start. You can also ask for referrals to other current or previous clients.
Bear in mind, it’s more than your marketing at stake. If content creation is a part of your package and it’s done poorly, it can damage not just your search engine ranking, but your company’s image.
If you’d like to hedge against any potentially fraudulent or abusive practices, consider requiring the firm you’re working with to purchase an employee dishonesty bond to protect you. This type of bond ensures you’ll be compensated if one of their employees commits a fraudulent act like embezzlement or theft while working for you.
Weighing the Costs and Benefits
In general, a high-quality online marketing campaign from an outsourcing company will cost around $2-3K per month. That number will be less if you’re only doing social media management or another smaller service. If you’re going to consider this, you need to think what it will be worth to your business. That means calculating what this marketing campaign can achieve for you.
You can do this by looking at Return on Investment (ROI). A marketing firm can help you do this or you can do it on your own. Optimize Smart has a good breakdown of how you can calculate SEO ROI effectively. Once you’ve done this and chosen a firm, make sure to schedule regular check-ins every month or two, where you can compare your predicted ROI goals with what’s been achieved. By keeping your marketing accountable and on track, you’ll have a better chance of success.
Remember, an in-house team may be great, but if you’re a small business, you probably can’t afford to create your own. Make sure to do plenty of research to find a great freelancer or outsourcing option to match your budget and maintain your standards. With the right partnership, you’ll be amazed at what your marketing can achieve.
How does your business do its marketing? What lessons have you learned by starting an online marketing campaign? Let us know about your experiences and insights in the comments.