Do you know the rules?
Last Sunday, I was watching some of the PGA Pro-Am at Pebble Beach on TV. At one point, a professional golfer, Paul Casey, was trying to place his ball on the green after marking it. He could not prevent the ball from rolling so he consulted with Phil Mickelson who he was paired with. Phil said he did not know so Paul Casey sought a PGA rules official. I was surprised Phil did not know, but the announcers explained the PGA recently changed the rules. Professional players when uncertain of the new rules are seeking an official to avoid costly penalties. Smart decision.
As a casual golfer, I know the rules of golf, well mostly. I was not aware until Sunday that there were new PGA rules. Clearly the PGA rules book buried in my golf bag is not current. If I could not stop my golf ball from rolling, I would simply find a lateral place to place the ball on the green and would not think twice about it. But, I am playing for fun, no money on the line…well, yes ok sometimes there is money on the line, but it may be a quarter a putt.
Who do you turn to? Your choice could be a game changer.
You are running a business. There are many rules to follow and keep up with. As a CEO of a SMB, who do you turn to when it comes to marketing your business? The rules matter in golf and they matter in business. They also matter in marketing.
Below are two elements of marketing where amateur marketers play around without knowing the rules of the game. They are not cheating. However if you have chosen an amateur to provide these marketing services to you, you are not getting professional advice. It could be a game changer over time if you thought you were paired with a pro, but you’re paired with an amateur. You get what you pay for.
Example 1. Logo Creation
A logo should not be put in the hands of an amateur. If you are serious about your business, invest in your brand. Your logo brings your business to life; it is critically important in terms of presenting your business and what you offer. There are a lot of subtleties in branding and logo creation that really do matter including color, fonts and tagline to name a few.
When an amateur has been relied on in the past, we find our clients are frustrated to learn the logo files are insufficient and incomplete. Just having a jpg file will not support broader marketing needs. The client thought they had paid for complete logo development only to learn they have one file that can’t be resized and there are not any defined standards. A professional marketer will design and deliver a full suite of logo files with documented branding standards. These branding standards are the rules for how to use your logo. No need to consult with a rules official. It’s in writing, delivered by professionals.
Example 2. Social Media
The rules in social media are changing rapidly. Algorithms are changing. Privacy standards changing (e.g., Facebook). Companies are trying to figure out how to be profitable which drives changes by platform (e.g., LinkedIn). The pace of change is rapid. Being a casual player, trying to stay up on the rules of social marketing is becoming more challenging and risky. It’s not for the faint of heart to assume you know the rules and it’s not easy to find a reliable source or rules official. Don’t rely on a weekend novice to define and manage your social media strategy.
At this stage in my life, I do not take golf seriously. I do take marketing seriously. If you play on the tour, you know the rules or you have experts available to consult with. If you want to grow your small to medium sized business, you should have proven experts to consult with. If you are considering pairing up with an amateur or a professional to market your business, invest in your success. Ask the questions to separate the weekend warrior from the marketing professional. The wrong decision can be a game changer. Just like in golf, not knowing the rules has consequences.