Hiring an agency, freelancer, or taking a marketing course should be an investment that grows your business—not a costly mistake that leaves you frustrated.
But too many small business owners jump into hiring without a clear plan, only to realize later that:
❌ They weren’t ready for that level of support.
❌ They hired someone who wasn’t the right fit.
❌ They spent money without seeing real results.
So, how do you avoid these mistakes? By following the right process.
The 5 Stages of Hiring the Right Marketing Support
Before investing in marketing help, it’s essential to understand where your business stands and what kind of support will actually help you move forward.
1️⃣ Know Your Business
Before you bring in outside help, you need absolute clarity on:
✔ Who your target audience is
✔ What problem your business solves
✔ Your brand positioning and messaging
✔ What makes you different from competitors
💡 Why This Matters: If you can’t explain your business clearly, neither can a marketing expert. And without clarity, you’ll end up with generic strategies that don’t work.
2️⃣ Define Your Strategy
Marketing isn’t just about being present on social media or running ads. You need a clear strategy that answers:
✔ Which marketing channels make sense for your business?
✔ What kind of content resonates with your audience?
✔ What’s your budget, and how will you measure success?
💡 Why This Matters: A freelancer or agency can execute a strategy, but they can’t define it for you unless you’re paying for strategy development. If you don’t have a clear plan, you might invest in marketing that doesn’t align with your business goals.
3️⃣ Pick the Right Supplier
Once you understand your business and strategy, the next step is deciding who can best help you execute it.
Some of your options:
🔹 Freelancer – Great for specific tasks (e.g., social media management, content creation, graphic design).
🔹 Agency – Best for businesses that need a full-service solution.
🔹 Mentor/Consultant – Ideal if you need guidance to develop your strategy before hiring execution support.
🔹 Course/DIY Approach – A budget-friendly way to learn and implement marketing yourself.
💡 Why This Matters: Hiring the wrong type of support means wasting time and money on something that isn’t aligned with your needs.
4️⃣ Ask the Right Questions
Before signing a contract or making a commitment, ask yourself:
❓ Does this supplier have experience in my industry?
❓ Do they understand my business goals?
❓ Are they offering what I actually need at this stage?
❓ Do I have clear expectations about deliverables and ROI?
💡 Why This Matters: Many business owners hire based on hype or big promises instead of evaluating whether the supplier is the right fit. Asking the right questions ensures you make an informed decision.
5️⃣ Evaluate the Results
After hiring, don’t just “set it and forget it.” Track the impact:
📊 Are you seeing an improvement in brand awareness, leads, or sales?
📊 Is the strategy being executed as planned?
📊 Do you need to make adjustments?
💡 Why This Matters: Marketing isn’t an overnight success story—it’s a process. If you don’t track progress, you won’t know if your investment is paying off.
So, What Stage Are You In?
Over the next few days, I’ll be diving deeper into each of these 5 stages on Instagram so you can identify exactly where your business stands and what steps you need to take next.
✅ Not sure where you are in the process? Let’s figure it out together!
📅 Book a discovery call with me, and I’ll help you navigate the right path for your business.
#MarketingStrategy #SmallBusinessGrowth #SmartHiring #MarketingHelp