I just read the post below over on Facebook from a business owner, who, like everyone in the early stages, is working hard to get the business going.
“Skills I’ve had to develop in the process of building and running a business
- SEO
- Social Media Marketing
- Email list building
- Networking
- Leadership
- Design
- Video Production
- Selling
- amongst many others
Together they take up a lot of my time.
If you are going into business doing one thing, be aware of all of the other things that need doing too.”
So should you teach yourself marketing?
Here’s my reply
If you’ve spent a load of time learning marketing skills and your core business isn’t marketing, doesn’t it feel like a wasted effort?
I’m a marketing professional, so I already have these skills. However, my business needs HR, IT, legal, accounting and finance. But I’m not going to spend time learning them, I’ll hire a professional who’s rate I can afford. Just my two-penneth, but I’m sure you’re all great at your core job, wouldn’t you have a better business if all your energy focused on your core skills, the reason you’re in business in the first place?
Having said that, I think it is very important that you understand how marketing works and what you should expect from a marketing consultant such as The Marketing Optimist. Which is why we run training courses for business owners, such as our social media masterclass. But, just as we understand what to expect from the HR, IT, legal and accounting suppliers we use, trying to learn all their skills to save us a few pounds isn’t the greatest plan.
