18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Stop Offering Marketing Services!

by vndnbrgj
14 replies
Too many people on here talk about being marketers, but have no idea what they are doing.

Can you imagine a going to your lawyer with a probelm.
They say they can take your case.
Then they go to a forum saying, "I don't know what I'm doing!"

That is exactly what a lot of people here are doing.
Why don't you learn about marketing and then offer marketing services?

I know, I know... that makes more sense, but yet most won't.

Also, if you are not a consultant, don't call yourself one.
"I sell SEO, I am a consultant." NO! That doesn't make you a consultant.
You are a service provider. You may be a SEO company, but you are not a consultant.
Same goes for web design, and whatever other services you are selling.
#marketing #offering #services #stop
  • Profile picture of the author sprks79
    I see your point, to an extent.

    Offering services before knowing "exactly" what to do..think of it as on the job training???

    How about a guy, theoretical of course, goes to another man and says, "Hey, Mr. Statue guy, I would like a statue that is made of chocolate and farts skittles." the stature guy says "Well sir I have never done anything like that before but would be glad to figure it out". Should this deal not happen solely based on the fact he hasn't done this before...the answer, if your curious is no. He should take on any task he feels he can accomplish, not just things he knows he can do.

    Just because you offer the service, does not mean you have to be able to do it, just that it is able to be done, this is where a consultant comes in.

    I am a consultant, I do SEO, Marketing, Video, Direct Mail, Email, SMS, pretty much dip my hands into whatever I can find that I feel comfortable doing, ....or getting done, from ANY walk of business, and I have a business, should I still not call myself a consultant??

    A consultant by pure definition is someone who provides advice in a particular area, are we all not some form of consultants.

    I am not here to bash your post, just here to simply say, if that is how you wish to run your life and business then far be it for anyone to tell you different...the other side of the coin, you shouldn't be telling anyone either.

    Instead of voicing your disgust and distaste for the ways things happen, help and suggest ways to improve it.

    Just sayin.
    Signature

    PBN site builder. Expired domain scraper. Website Hoster.....Oh, and an amazing guy. :)

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211141].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author vndnbrgj
      Originally Posted by sprks79 View Post

      I see your point, to an extent.

      Offering services before knowing "exactly" what to do..think of it as on the job training???

      How about a guy, theoretical of course, goes to another man and says, "Hey, Mr. Statue guy, I would like a statue that is made of chocolate and farts skittles." the stature guy says "Well sir I have never done anything like that before but would be glad to figure it out". Should this deal not happen solely based on the fact he hasn't done this before...the answer, if your curious is no. He should take on any task he feels he can accomplish, not just things he knows he can do.

      You missed my point... The statue person already makes statues. They don't hear someone say, "I need a statue" and then say, "I don't know how, but I'll do it."

      Just because you offer the service, does not mean you have to be able to do it, just that it is able to be done, this is where a consultant comes in.

      I am a consultant, I do SEO, Marketing, Video, Direct Mail, Email, SMS, pretty much dip my hands into whatever I can find that I feel comfortable doing, ....or getting done, from ANY walk of business, and I have a business, should I still not call myself a consultant??

      I don't know... Are you a service provider offering advice or a consultant offering complimentary services?

      A consultant by pure definition is someone who provides advice in a particular area, are we all not some form of consultants.

      Sure... But there is an educated consultant, and someone just offering advice. The two can vary greatly!

      I am not here to bash your post, just here to simply say, if that is how you wish to run your life and business then far be it for anyone to tell you different...the other side of the coin, you shouldn't be telling anyone either.

      I shouldn't be telling anyone else what? To make a distinction?
      Either you're a service provider or a consultant! I didn't say a consultant couldn't provide services....

      Instead of voicing your disgust and distaste for the ways things happen, help and suggest ways to improve it.

      Just sayin.
      A consultant gets paid to consult! A service provider gets paid to provide services!

      A consultant is usually an expert or a professional in a specific field and has a wide knowledge of the subject matter.
      Source: Consultant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

      So, to be a "Marketing Consultant" you should be knowledgeable about marketing.... Right? :rolleyes:
      Signature
      Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone
      - Neale Donald Wilson -
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211246].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author sprks79
        Originally Posted by vndnbrgj View Post

        A consultant gets paid to consult! A service provider gets paid to provide services!

        A consultant is usually an expert or a professional in a specific field and has a wide knowledge of the subject matter.
        Source: Consultant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

        So, to be a "Marketing Consultant" you should be knowledgeable about marketing.... Right? :rolleyes:


        The point above was to demonstrate that it is possible to be able to do, or get something done without knowing the details, a guy that can make a statue is perfect if I just want a simple piece of wood or metal to stand there and look at me. The fact that he may or may not be able to mechanize a statue to shoot out colorful pellets, should he pass up the opportunity to make this money??

        Am I a provider offering advice or a consultant offering complimentary services? Should this ever really matter? I can get the job done either way, myself, or outsourcing, should I not be able to do business in a field I am not prevalent in?

        I shouldn't be telling anyone else what? To make a distinction?
        Either you're a service provider or a consultant! I didn't say a consultant couldn't provide services....         and your first post.. Also, if you are not a consultant, don't call yourself one.
        "I sell SEO, I am a consultant." NO! That doesn't make you a consultant.
        You are a service provider. You may be a SEO company, but you are not a consultant.

        Im confused as to the issue here, a service provider can be a consultant or cant they?

        and finally, A consultant gets paid to consult! A service provider gets paid to provide services!

        But couldn't they both be one in the same?


        All valid points, however, take this for whatever its worth, I am marketing professional, been doing it for years, however, I am also a marketing consultant offering my advice for others to utilize, should I HAVE to make the distinction between one or the other, or could I, since its MY business call myself whatever I choose? To me, and my opinion only, it seems you are getting angry over what people are calling themselves, regardless if they can do the job or not. What if I wanted to call baseball, round object smash, I could, it doesn't make me wrong, I still know the rules, the objectives and the system, I simply CHOOSE to call it different. Again, I see your issue, but is it really that big of a deal?
        Signature

        PBN site builder. Expired domain scraper. Website Hoster.....Oh, and an amazing guy. :)

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211308].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
        To understand what a consultant does,
        he/she is paid to deliver knowledge.

        An example, in my case here on the forum...

        When I was running my ad writing service,
        a person had to pay me for my time to talk about their situation.

        Whether I ended up writing the ad for them or not,
        I still got paid.

        If you do SEO, as an example, you would be paid for your knowledge even if your
        company did no actual SEO after the consultation.

        See the difference?

        Best,
        Ewen
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211337].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author vndnbrgj
          Originally Posted by ewenmack View Post

          To understand what a consultant does,
          he/she is paid to deliver knowledge.

          An example, in my case here on the forum...

          When I was running my ad writing service,
          a person had to pay me for my time to talk about their situation.

          Whether I ended up writing the ad for them or not,
          I still got paid.

          If you do SEO, as an example, you would be paid for your knowledge even if your
          company did no actual SEO after the consultation.

          See the difference?

          Best,
          Ewen
          Thank you. A consultant gets paid for knowledge and a service provider gets paid for services.
          If I sell websites and SEO, and only get paid if I deliver... then I am a service provider, not a consultant.
          Signature
          Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone
          - Neale Donald Wilson -
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211539].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author sprks79
            Originally Posted by vndnbrgj View Post

            Thank you. A consultant gets paid for knowledge and a service provider gets paid for services.
            If I sell websites and SEO, and only get paid if I deliver... then I am a service provider, not a consultant.
            vndnbrgj - I do agree with this. My entire problem was the fact that it came off that you were/may be trying to say that just for the simple fact that I don't know HOW to do something, should preclude me from offering a solution. It should not. I DO agree with most of what you are saying, I simply think instead of just starting a thread to voice your displeasure you could offer some positive advice and help the problem. My posts were not to be taken as a flat out refusal to acknowledge your problems, just a simple, "hey, what can we do about it".
            Signature

            PBN site builder. Expired domain scraper. Website Hoster.....Oh, and an amazing guy. :)

            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211600].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author dnjoseph1
    Haha, this is pretty funny. How many times have we seen this?

    I guess on the bright side, they're taking action and are getting out there prospecting. If they tell the prospects that they are professionals who can guarantee them results, then I'm totally on board with you.

    But what if they tell the prospects that they're new, and they don't really know what they're doing but they'll try their best? In that case they're being honest and up front in coming to warriors for help.

    Yeah...I highly doubt that second one. Lol.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211151].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author sprks79
      If they "guarantee" results then yes, its not cool as well as unethical. However simply saying they can get the job done is neither uncool, or unethical. Think of how many professions out there simply "match" people with jobs, candidates with companies and the like. Offering services that you cannot perform yourself is not a bad thing, if it were the looking for services and services offered part of this very forum would be a huge waste.
      Signature

      PBN site builder. Expired domain scraper. Website Hoster.....Oh, and an amazing guy. :)

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211190].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author SJJPFTW
    Forgetting the exact definition of consultant for a moment, I think the big issue here is people going out into the world and trying to drum up business as a marketer when they have no idea what to actually do.

    They go sell a guy a web design package and then come here and want to know where do get a (usually free) theme that does everything they promised.

    I have no problem with people starting out doing something, in fact more power to them. I do have a problem with people selling something they actually know nothing about.

    If I do not know how to set up a basic website then I have no business trying to sell one. Likewise if my own site is on page 156 of Google I probably should not be trying to sell SEO. The examples go on.

    So then bares the question of how anyone gets started in this business with no experience without lying there ass off about their skills and qualifications.

    ANSWER:

    Your friends/relatives/whoever you know that you can stuff up things a little with and they will not rage on you and want a refund should be your first clients. Try and make them pay of course, but even if you MUST do some things for gratis consider it an investment in your businesses reputation.

    Learning SEO and notice your uncles business is not on page one? Hit him up for a gig. Your brothers widget factory is not on the web? Get it on there. Your sisters cupcake shop has a Facebook page but all the comments on there are spam or hate mail? Help her out with rep management. They all want to use PPC? Do the research and get them good keywords.

    All you need is a few jobs under your belt and you can confidently approach most businesses and not be afraid they will catch you out as a faker.
    Signature

    If you want to learn more about making money with small business owners for FREE click here to be notified when review copies of my new offline course are available.

    Please remember if something I do helps you, the thanks button helps me :-) ------------------>

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211417].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author sprks79
      @SJJPFTW

      I do not entirely agree with your outlook, some good points, but not entirely so. There are hundreds if not thousands of people that do just that, find a problem, and THEN go find the solutions.

      For your web design example, there have been many times where someone in my area needed a website far more complex than I wanted to do or even could do. Should I just ignore the situation? I didn't, I took his business, agreed on a price and THEN, found someone who could do exactly what he wanted and for a price that still made me money. Am I wrong in this situation? Absolutely not. They had a problem, I fixed it. Who cares how it came to be. McDonalds wont tell us the contents of the secret sauce, yet we still eat the hell out of Big Macs. I could base my entire business on this model alone. I simply choose to be diverse.

      Just because someone doesn't know how to do something, should not prevent them from getting the business and running with it.
      Signature

      PBN site builder. Expired domain scraper. Website Hoster.....Oh, and an amazing guy. :)

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211470].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author SJJPFTW
        Originally Posted by sprks79 View Post

        @SJJPFTW

        Just because someone doesn't know how to do something, should not prevent them from getting the business and running with it.
        Agree completely. If you are happy to outsource ( I do it too) and just act as a salesperson for a particular solution then that is 100% fine.

        I was more referring to people that try to do it all themselves because of a "how hard can it really be" mentality with no experience that then go and make a massive mess.
        Signature

        If you want to learn more about making money with small business owners for FREE click here to be notified when review copies of my new offline course are available.

        Please remember if something I do helps you, the thanks button helps me :-) ------------------>

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211483].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author cebumediasolutions
    Originally Posted by vndnbrgj View Post

    Too many people on here talk about being marketers, but have no idea what they are doing.

    Can you imagine a going to your lawyer with a probelm.
    They say they can take your case.
    Then they go to a forum saying, "I don't know what I'm doing!"

    That is exactly what a lot of people here are doing.
    Why don't you learn about marketing and then offer marketing services?

    I know, I know... that makes more sense, but yet most won't.

    Also, if you are not a consultant, don't call yourself one.
    "I sell SEO, I am a consultant." NO! That doesn't make you a consultant.
    You are a service provider. You may be a SEO company, but you are not a consultant.
    Same goes for web design, and whatever other services you are selling.
    Yes you have a good point there. . i totally agree with you..
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211478].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author vndnbrgj
    Sprks... Can I call myself a doctor since I know first aid?
    Signature
    Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone
    - Neale Donald Wilson -
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211526].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author sprks79
      Originally Posted by vndnbrgj View Post

      Sprks... Can I call myself a doctor since I know first aid?
      and in the sporting of the game part of this thread...

      My dentist knows first aid, and is a doctor, so would you let him operate on your heart??? :p
      Signature

      PBN site builder. Expired domain scraper. Website Hoster.....Oh, and an amazing guy. :)

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7211606].message }}

Trending Topics