Why I Hired Help When Things Are Going Great
Why Should You Hire Help When Business is Booming?
This is the central question I want to answer for you today.
It's a question I barely considered early on in my business. For the first several years of Greatest Story, I was very scrappy with business spending. I did virtually everything myself and investing in anything: whether an e-course, a coach, a virtual assistant, or a consultant - was not on my radar.
I used to believe the only time to spend time and money is when things are failing or when I am struggling.
And I was 100% wrong.
What's Changed My Mind About Investing in Seasons of Success, Not Just Seasons of Struggle
Last year, I learned my lesson about how pivotal it is to invest in others to help in your business. In a story I'll share with you another day, I had to get to a desperate point before I asked for help and hired a coach. When I did, it transformed my business and became the single greatest thing I've ever done as an entrepreneur.
After living through that very tough but rewarding experience - I vowed one key thing: I wouldn't wait til things got terrible to invest in valuable pieces and people that can help my business and myself succeed.
So What Am I Investing In & Why?
So here we are today: Business is going well this year and I'm happy to feel very on track for exceeding my goals and exceeding my performance from last year. In many ways, business couldn't be better and I'm so grateful.
That said - as I shared with you recently in this post about what I've learned from interviewing other business owners as a prospective client, I've just hired a specialist to help me with a project.
Here's what I'm up to: I've hired a marketing strategist to help me create an intentional, strategic online and offline marketing plan for Greatest Story.
I told my dad about it and here's how that conversation went.
Annie: Hey Dad, did I tell you I hired a marketing person?
Dad: Why? You're killing it and you're great at marketing!
His question surprised me but it did make sense he'd react that way. I mean I get it - it can sound sort of puzzling from outward appearances.
After all, business is going well. My marketing has been effective, and I've been doing it since day one, leveraging my experience as well as what I learned working in proximity to Disney's marketing department in my corporate days. Nothing is broken, so why am I fixing it??
6 Reasons You Should Invest When Things Are Great
That said, here's what I told him and what I'll tell you as to why I'm making investment now - despite the fact I understand and can do my own marketing, despite the fact that business is growing like crazy -
Another Perspective: No amount of time or energy I exude on my own marketing will give me the power of another professional perspective, especially from someone who specializes in the field. This is the biggest reason I've chosen to invest now, rather than wait to solve a big problem or failure in my business.
To Be More Strategic: If I have one specific marketing "problem" or "opportunity" it's that I've created a lot (and I mean a lot) of content for my business but have barely repromoted or smartly used most of it. There's a ton of good, inspirational content that I want you to be able to use and see - but I'm not an expert on how to optimize it. So I'm partnering with someone who is!
To Be Proactive: After almost flat out failing, I never want to be on that brink again. I want to know and have resources (like talented strategists, my virtual assistant Sarah with Joyfully Organized, etc.) ready now so I don't have to get to that point ever.
Time: With the business growing so much, it's become harder and harder to spend the kind of time I used to on developing my marketing plans and executing them. Having a strategist get to know my business and help me be very strategic with what I should be doing, rather than what I could be doing, is going to save me a ton of time. I'm looking for smarter not harder, and using my time as efficiently as possible.
To Grow and Learn: I don't know what I don't know. As I've learned by investing in others, I learn so much from other entrepreneurs and what they do. There's a lot more I could learn about marketing and that's an opportunity. I'm grateful to have a chance to deepen that knowledge as well as have this change to better get to know the potential of my business.
To Profit: With all of the above, I'm confident that my major investment in a marketing professional's services and her marketing plan will lead to more strategic business growth and more amazing clients. I think people focus too much on "profit" as a sole reason, and don't realize all the other pieces I mentioned are what makes that additional profit possible in the first place!
When I considered all of the above, this was an easy, no-brainer decision - even and especially in a season of growth.
Overall, this project pays for itself with one to two new clients, and I'm excited to see all that it will lead to. I'll be sure to keep you posted on that and of course - you may start to see the changes here and other places across what I'm doing for Greatest Story.
What You Can Take From This
Are you like me in that you try to take everything on yourself? Do you hate asking for help? Will you only ask when you feel you have no other choice?
I totally get it. And I used to live in that space. It nearly killed my business and had me convinced no one was interested in it anymore.
Imagine what would happen if you flipped this on its head? If you asked for help pro-actively, seeing the need ahead of you? If you got that extra pair of eyes on something now so it could be 10x better tomorrow?
If I can encourage you to do one thing this week, it's to consider what you can do to invest in your business now like...
Is there something you don't have the perspective to accomplish?
Is there something you don't have the time to do?
What do you want to learn more about to grow your business?
And then ask to connect with 1 person that could help.
Try it. I dare you! You might be surprised by the value someone could add to your business.
Maybe the person you reach is a business coach, or a sales coach, or a virtual assistant. If you aren't sure about your business name, logo, words, or website, maybe that's talking with me about your brand. (Click here if you want to do that or reply, I'd love to connect with you).
In fact, if you need a referral for any of those categories (business coach, etc.), let me know too. I'd be happy to send you to some amazing entrepreneurs.
Whoever and whatever it might be, the advice I have here is simple: don't wait. You got this. Don't be afraid to ask for help when things are great - because if you take the leap and invest, they're bound to get even better!
