Perhaps I will invest in marketing next year, many entrepreneurs think for the third year running. Let us think about what it costs you not to market.
Some of It Is Worth Doing Yourself
Not all marketing makes sense to outsource. A photo of something that happened today, posted on social media. A brief observation that only you can make right now. On social media, authenticity is the only competitive advantage you cannot buy.
The same applies to maintaining customer relationships and internal communication. These are always your own voice.
Some of It Makes Sense to Outsource
You cannot see your own business through an outside perspective. At Popa we can. A good copywriter asks questions you have never thought about and writes the answers in a way that customers understand.
Content strategy, publishing calendars, reference stories, and tightly scheduled packages are exactly the areas where an agency is most valuable.
Calculate What Visibility Actually Costs
A light sign, wrapping, and a small monthly social media investment amounts to around 2,000 to 5,000 euros. Looking at this line, many entrepreneurs see unnecessary spending.
Let us do another calculation. If your average customer brings in 1,500 euros per year and even one new customer per month fails to come through because you are not visible, that is 18,000 euros in lost revenue. Compare that to a 3,000-euro marketing budget.
If you do not pay for marketing with money, you pay with your time. An entrepreneur's hour is easily 50 euros, and seven hours a month can go to basic marketing alone.
One Question Before You Decide
Before you decide whether a marketing budget is a needless expense: how much does one new customer bring you per year?
