Internal Marketers
Most SMBs don't have the budget, or a justification, to hire the internal resources required to effectively grow.
Plus, things like AI and SaaS threaten jobs, reduce resource utilization and more.
Who tells your team what to do? Measures their work? How do you evaluate what moves the needle?
The DIY Owner
What do you implement? Why? Is it working as well as it can?
Most often, things aren't getting done. Or, not getting done consistently. You're busy running your business.
Auditing, analyzing, researching, implementing, optimizing, measuring - this constant cycle is a role on its own.
Courses
What worked for one business, at one point in time, with their specific team, geography, niche - who says it's replicable?
Who helps you implement? Ensures consistent force? Who tweaks it to your business as needed? Accountability?
Their goal is selling you a course, and other products - not business impact.
Agencies
Many business owners are getting their advice, and the products and services to implement, from the same provider.
Limited to the tools they've partnered with, the skills and experiences of their specific executionists.
Lead costs stay the same over time, are often not guaranteed and you don't own the processes and systems delivering them. If you replace the agency, you replace the strategy, execution and measurement layers.
Agencies exist to sell you products and services, not to grow your business.
Offshoring
Who is the ideal fit for each requirement? Why is the requirement needing to be done? How will you measure it's success? Who will manage the project?
Do you know how to navigate the scope? The project management? QA? What happens if things don't work as intended? What's your recourse?
Have you done the required planning and strategy to derisk their implementation and know what you're looking for?
Again, execution and advice coming from the same partner - and disconnected from the context of your local market.
Technology
As automation and AI take on more and more workflows, who is helping you explore it?
The agency worried about losing billable services?
The team member worried this will replace them?
Which tool is right for each requirement, and why? How will it be implemented? Measured? What's the "total cost of ownership"?
Who will manage the new tool(s)? How will their impact be measured?