You know how I knew I found a mechanic I could trust? When I asked about my brakes and he said, “No, your brakes don’t need to be replaced yet. They’re fine for at least another year.”
As soon as I heard the mechanic steer me away from a job that would be lucrative to him – when he could easily guess that I was a clueless chick who never would have known the difference – he won my business and my loyalty.
But this rule doesn’t only apply to mechanics. It also applies to marketers. If you are looking for a marketer, include this in your criteria: any marketer worth your business and your loyalty will tell you frankly when something you suggest or ask about is not in your best interest.
After all, you don’t want a marketer who will take a passive “the customer is always right” approach even when they know that you are wrong. That may put money in the marketer’s pocket, but it doesn’t bring any ROI to your business.
So, even though it may be disappointing or difficult to have an idea put to the side, welcome it when a marketer says:
- “I wouldn’t suggest advertising there.”
- “I don’t recommend developing a white paper on that topic.”
- “I advise a phased approach rather than attempting all this at once.”
Remember, when a marketer says “no” to a project, they are saying “yes” to your business!
Author: Paula Marolewski