When I started the business, I felt like an utter imposter. Instinctively I knew a lot of information but I didn’t have the confidence to assume it was traditional wisdom. Even after having a Bachelor’s Degree, I pursued an Associate’s Degree in Marketing from IWCC. After three semesters I found out my instincts were largely accurate because they were learned from life experiences.
Lots of people have given us good advice. One client gave me a tip on billing in 2018 that changed how we do business. Another told me “I’m not a bank” and we then used that to change how we receive payment. Another client told me they could do business with other big companies but they like that we pick up the phone and answer his questions when he calls. Random moments from very successful people have shaped us in great ways. One time, someone told me it was foolish for us to get an office in Shenandoah. It jarred me enough to question my decision, but I knew we needed the space. Our business doubled when we moved from Essex. That guy is a moron.
Sometimes the people we love don’t know what they’re talking about. We think they have it together but they don’t. You may want the help but before you are open to just any advice, consider the advice they’re giving, the motive they’re giving it from and the information they’re working with. It’s good to be aware of that yourself when giving advice. Can you speak on authority? If the person takes your advice, will you feel a burden for the outcome? If you aren’t invested in the outcome, keep your opinions to yourself, especially if you know the person takes what you say seriously.
If someone is giving you marketing advice for instance, take a look at the fruit of their labor before receiving it. Does their marketing work? Is the business model relevant to you? We often hear “I’ve been told having a website doesn’t matter” or “…social media doesn’t work”, etc. Do advice-givers know where your market share can be gained, how you receive leads, or what your growth goals are? Do they have better suggestions that do work? It’s easy for us to have a bad experience and give bad advice from that. It’s an uphill slog to fine-tune a marketing plan or initiative that bears results. Often times the problem is us, but do we take the time to learn that?
Take advice from people who have made mistakes AND admit them. Seek time-tested wisdom. I want to know that you follow my train of thought and give me specific scenarios of how you’ve seen it played out. Take advice from businesses you want to be like: they take care of their employees, they make money, they have reasonable schedules, they operate with integrity, or anything else you prioritize should be exemplified in the source of your advice. For instance, take financial advice from businesses that thrive financially, but if they take crappy care of their employees, don’t take HR advice from them.
Finally, get advice for where you want to go, not only where you are. Sometimes a solution to a right-now problem is not a solution for where you want to go. Dream big and work toward that. Imagine large fiscal goals, growth goals, type of work goals, team goals, personal goals and work toward those. Find ways you can add value and add cost to your products or service. Find ways you can achieve short-term goals that support your long-term goals. Make a checklist of tasks for a new hire to do that none of your team thrives at; only hire someone who is a fit for that list. Identify turds in your products or services and STOP selling that thing. (Turds are products or services that take too much time, make too little money and/or suck the energy out of you and your team.)
Get good advice from good sources. Be a good source of good advice. Let bad advice disappear into the atmosphere or better yet, correct it when you can. Please, please, please only align your business with your dreams and not your reality – receive advice accordingly. Find people who support you in that. Receive criticism, get better and do the same for others. Unlike the words of P. T. Barnum “all publicity is good publicity”, all advice is NOT good advice.
Owner | Bethann Tillman
BA Marketing is here to listen and problem-solve.
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