Here’s Perspective on Social Media and Digital Marketing — It costs $$$

Time to share a little perspective on the skill set and cost creating and mantainting a strong social media presence for your brand/company— there are certainly huge misconceptions circulating in the general population about this topic.

As the owner of a startup and small business strategy firm as well as a digital marketing company, I get a lot of inquiries to help businesses with digital marketing. There is so much to it which can be overwhelming to those new to the information. Thus, I do my best to simplify describing how it works, the various platforms, and strategies. However, the most surprising information I share is how much it costs to outsource the work. They are shocked!

For those who are not familiar, social media management costs anywhere from $1000 to $20,000 PER MONTH and this does not include money for running paid ads.

Many startups and small business owners will say they don’t have the budget, but there are only a few options:

1. You can outsource it and pay someone to get started marketing and moving your business forward quickly

OR

2. You can take time to learn (6–12months at least), then spend (mostly waste) several thousand dollars (or more) for another 6–12mths working with new digital marketing tools and testing tactics that don’t work.

Just like anything else, it is a tradeoff — -you can hire someone or do it yourself, but it’s indeed a necessary component of business today.

Digital marketing is a specialty that people learn, practice, and can execute like a marketing superhero and they require payment accordingly. To acquire those skills to supercharge your business, prioritize it in your budget. Social media is not just an object that the “young people” play with on their phones all day. There is real time, skills, and money involved and with that, it’s time to take it seriously and figure out how to afford it for your business.

Are you willing to invest in your business? Just know it’s going to cost you time or money or both to do so. There is no way around it.

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I am Monique Mills, the Principal of TPM Focus, a national startup and small business strategy consulting firm headquartered in Atlanta, GA. I’m known to assertively speak on topics I’m passionate about and this is one of many.