My family has lived in the Wilkes and Alexander counties area for eight generations (including myself). Therefore, I think that I am somewhat of an expert on living in a rural area along with the people who choose to live and own businesses here and in rural areas. For the most part, I would say people are honest and hard working. If something needs to be done, we tend to do it ourselves. In other words, we typical personify the DIY mentality.
What happens when people like that have to write the content for their small business website?
Unfortunately, not all of them are excellent writers, but with our DIY mentality, many will try to write the content themselves, to their detriment. The thought of hiring someone else to write about their business makes them feel a bit awkward at best. I get it, after all, who understands your small business better than you? While some of these people believe that having an outsider write on topics close to their hearts is practically "cheating."
When I was younger, my family owned a small logging business. While there were many things that we could do ourselves as far as repairs, there were some things that we knew were better off left to the experts. One such expert was Jerry Metcalf. You could call, and he would show up when he said he would, and before the truck was hardly in park, he was grabbing tools to get started. Yes, we could have possibly fixed whatever issue we were dealing with, but when you are a small operation and have a breakdown, everything stops. It was much better to bring in the expert and get us back working than to waste days trying to figure it out ourselves. Therefore I ask you, was that cheating?
So when it comes to content for your small business website, is it “cheating” to use a professional writer? Absolutely not! It may appear to be the same as being back in high school and asking someone to write a paper, but it is not.
Here are three reasons why getting help with your content is not only acceptable but very reasonable:
- You want the content to be clear and well presented. Different people have different skills. You know all the ins and outs of your business. Unfortunately, explaining the process or addressing frequent issues isn't your strong suit.
- You want it done on a regular basis and on time. If you’re like most of the small businesses I know, you’ve got your hands full with all the details that go into actually running your business. Writing about what you do in order to generate leads is pushed to the bottom of your priority list. You intend to do it, yet it never seems to happen. Out of sight and out of mind if you will.
- Your messaging needs to be consistent across all platforms. Marketing your small business requires communicating with prospects across a variety of platforms (your blog, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc.). Each of those platforms needs a distinct style to navigate the individual nuances.
Having said that, it is still your small business, and the message must be yours. You don't want stuff floating around that doesn't sound like it came from you. You must enlist the help of someone who understands what is vital to you and delivers information in the manner in which you would do it if you had the time.
To be honest, I believe that is one of the things that distinguishes Cube Creative Design from other agencies. We strive to truly understand your business. As a fellow small business, we focus on fellow small businesses. We spend time with you to make sure we know your business, your market, and how to reach your potential clients.
Hiring a professional writer or agency to help you with marketing content for your website is not only not dishonest; it is also sound business. You're an expert in your field. We're here to assist you in communicating it to your target audience.
