It’s been an interesting week. I’ve been managing web projects, investigating certifications, posting on social media, sourcing print quotes and more – all on behalf of existing lovely clients.
I’ve been networking, considering investment of my own money and time, and the return on that investment. The jury’s still out on choice of groups, though the process of experiencing new networking groups and meeting new businesses is enjoyable.
And I’ve had some interesting conversations.
Some businesses, I’m talking mainly about the larger SMEs in the business-to-business marketplace, have been chatting about the need to ‘do some marketing’. They like to build experience in team members, so would like someone at the beginning of their career – which also suits their limited budget. But here’s the rub. An eager candidate without much experience will need guidance, and is unlikely to be experienced enough on the strategic side of things – multi-channel marketing planning, budgeting, and the financial return on activity. Put simply, it’s a risk.
So how does a business manage this when they have no internal expertise to support this new employee? How can a limited budget stretch to cover the benefits of experience and the desire to invest in the future workforce? Can you really have your cake and eat it?
Yes, you can. But how?
Hire the less experienced candidate – if they’re keen and are a good fit, do it. We should help those earlier in their careers to experience, learn, and grow into even more talented individuals than they already are. And hire a qualified freelancer, with proven experience, on a part time basis to provide regular, ongoing support – for your new team member and your business. That way you have your day to day marketing presence, access to reliable, informed knowledge to look after the strategic side of things, and a mentor for your new team member.
What’s not to like about that?
