Digital Marketing: An Expense or an Investment?

If you’re still viewing Marketing as a “necessary evil”, then you have not been working with the right marketers. Every dollar spent on marketing is an investment in your brand and the future of your company. I encourage you to stop thinking about marketing as a line item to cross off if you need to cut expenses and hopefully this post will explain why…

Shift From Survive Mode to Thrive Mode

Businesses that don’t see value in marketing are often operating in survival mode- they only see the next sale. This may work as a quick fix right now, but it severely limits the full potential and future growth of the business. While you continue to fish in the same ponds, your competitors are learning how to diversify their reach with digital marketing. 

Often, the hesitation has to do with expecting to see immediate results. With many marketing efforts, there’s a learning curve that even the most experienced digital marketers experience since much of digital marketing is now based on AI (artificial intelligence) and relies on inputs. Of course, it would be nice to flip a switch and get leads. In reality, you should expect to invest in the equipment and approach with room to pivot based on data. 

Quick “Fix” Marketing Misses the Mark

Not every effort will have a quick ROI, but investing in the right marketing foundations will pay dividends later. SEO-focused strategies can be slower to produce results but the impact of not paying attention to your SEO is tremendous and swift. Your organic listing is your credibility. We see many companies who cannot get a handle on their plummeting site traffic and leads until we show them how their competitors are growing through search engine optimizations. You can’t take a break halfway through the race and expect to have a place at the podium. It takes a consistent, intentional effort to compete in digital marketing.

Sexy New Marketing Ideas Are Not Long-Term Solutions

There are always new ways to spend marketing dollars- particularly on social media. Not every marketing idea is a good fit for every business. Don’t get talked into the latest trends when your potential customers are not interested in finding you there. I would caution you against partnering with agencies that only focus on the output rather than the audience. It’s important that your marketing partner understands who your customers are and develop a strategy that makes sense for where they play.

Read More: 20 Questions to Ask Before Selecting Your Marketing Partner

Working with a marketing agency on a holistic approach to advertising is essential to every business these days. You want your marketing dollars to be used wisely and go far, right? The best way to do that is to hire a team of experts who take the time to know your audience and cater a plan to position you favorably. We work as an extension of your company on what’s important to you. If you’re ready to hear more, reach out to us!