Do you feel stuck in a rut with your marketing efforts? Is your go-to approach of posting on Facebook or Twitter falling short of your marketing goals? Are you having trouble balancing your new business development efforts with the time it takes to run your operations?

Maybe it’s time to hire professional help!

The truth is, marketing is more than simply getting the word out. Plus, with all of the recent changes to social media platforms, new apps and constantly evolving trends, it’s hard to know where to start. Besides, don’t you have your actualjob to do? 😉

In a recent article published in Inc., Michael Schein ofMichael Schein Communications discusses why and how so many marketing efforts fall short of their intended goal…“few people understand what it really is.”

Here are three reasons you should consider hiring a marketing consultant today:

1. “Whose job is it to figure out how to create growth?”

While you may think it’s you – it’s not! Your job is to keep your current customers happy and, by doing so, create a steady, solid stream of word of mouth advertising. The role of a marketing consultant is to find and develop a steady stream of new customers.

2. “Marketing is not the same as advertising and promotion.”

Please read that again.

Anyone can advertise or promote a product or service; but can you take an intangible idea and turn it into action on the part of the consumer. True engagement and loyalty takes time to build and it’s important to have a marketing consultant behind that plan. The key is consistency and a clear, creative plan aimed at growth and development.

3. “Marketing is about creating things that don’t exist.”

Successful marketing requires thinking outside of the box. What is your goal? What do your customers want? A marketing consultant can help you find where the answers to these two important questions meet. There you have it… growth.

For related tips on how to establish your marketing budget, check out my previous blog, “3 Easy Steps to Starting Your Marketing Budget.”