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We all know of the sad failures when unqualified individuals try to do our work. The average person doesn’t succeed very often at carpentry, architecture, pipe-fitting or structural design. We also know the disasters that await when a homeowner sets out to be the general contractor for a renovation project.
Trouble is, the same challenges apply when we wish to enter the marketing disciplines. Can you set up your own formal “word of mouth” advertising campaign, build a (successful) website from scratch or appreciate the nuances of publicity and media relations? After several hours of frustrating failure, you may be tempted to purchase the first simple marketing solution you are pitched by a telemarketing campaign, email or (gulp) construction marketing ideas website. This is hardly frugal.
In truth, you will need how to do it yourself, wisely. This may mean spending some of your frugal marketing budget on resources to learn how to do it yourself. For example, you can certainly hire (at some cost) a publicist to co-ordinate your media publicity. Or you can read a dozen or so books on the topic and maybe pick brains with a consultant for an hour or two for $500 or so (saving your remaining $4,500 frugal budget for other things.)
Just be aware that when you craft your first news release, you won’t necessarily achieve the results of a professional copywriter or publicist. You will need to find a way to turn your “real story” into an interesting and relevant message for your potential clients or create enough trade-out value for the professional copywriter/publicist to do the work for you within your frugal budget.