6 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Marketing Person

You've finally decided you're going to do it. You're going to stop handling your marketing yourself and hand it off to someone. Maybe it's a freelancer. Maybe it's an intern. Maybe you're actually hiring a company.

Whatever you're doing, congratulations are in order! This is a huge step in your business! Make sure you take a minute to reflect on how far you've come! Go YOU!

Now, before you rush out and hire the nineteen-year-old neighbor kid that's always on their phone so they can obviously handle your Facebook page (right?), take a breath and ask yourself the following questions:

1) What Do I Hope to Achieve By Handing Off This Task to Someone Else?

Are you hoping the quality of your marketing will go up? Want to get more followers? More sales? Do you just really need an extra thirty minutes in your day to do something else like watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians because, hey, it keeps you sane? Whatever your goals are, make sure you have them clearly articulated (and better yet, written down!). This will help you not only make a good hire, it'll help you evaluate how things are going if you need to make changes down the line.

2) Do I Want My Marketing Person to Keep Doing What I've Been Doing or Start Something New?

Every marketing person is different. I am happy to do whatever the heck you want. If you want me to keep doing the same old stuff, I will do that all day for you. Because if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I'm working with someone now whose business and marketing is going really well. All I have to do is keep the good stuff rolling. Which, let me tell you, is a freakin' DREAM. 

Some people might feel differently. Maybe they are insistent on taking your brand in a new direction (and won't hear different) which brings me to point three...

3) What Are My Overall Business Goals and How is My Marketing Supporting That?

If you want to grow your business by 50% in one year, the marketing strategy is going to be a lot different than for someone who wants to become a thought leader in their industry. Make sure you have your business goals defined so you can tell your new marketing person what role their efforts need to play in your business.

And remember, your business = your goals. Don't let someone else dictate that for you. 

4) What Sort of Person Do I Want For This Role?

Marketing is a very big field, populated by all kinds of characters. You've got very creative people, you've got more analytical-minded people, you've got the visionaries, and you've got the all-arounders, just to name a few. There are trade-offs you make when you hire someone. A more creative person might have a harder time bringing you the numbers you desire. A visionary might push you more than you're comfortable (and not in a good way) to fulfill their vision for your brand. An analytical person might deliver designs that lack that creative edge you want. An all-arounder might be good at a lot of things (hence the name), but maybe they're not great at something you really need them to be great at. Take your time with the interviewing process and if you don't feel great about the person you're meeting with, listen to your gut. 

5) What's My Budget?

The only thing more varied that the people doing marketing is the amount they charge. While it is true that you get what you pay for, paying more isn't always better. Have an amount in mind before you start meeting with people and don't let yourself be swayed by great client testimonials, shiny mockups, or any of that fancy stuff. At the end of the day, you are putting up the money. Don't let someone talk you into paying more than you need to. 

6) Am I Ready to Let Go?

Nobody likes a micromanager. Nobody. I realize it can be hard to cede control. This is your baby after all. But you need to be ready to let go of the good to go for the great. Make sure you're coming to the table with a certain amount of trust. Otherwise you will drive your marketing person crazy and chances are, the results will suffer in kind. 

Hiring a marketing person is a big step for your business. You want to feel like you're making the right hire. But don't get paralyzed about it. No matter how long you spend interviewing, you still might not make the right hire! Just make sure you know what you're signing up for so if you need to make a change, you can.