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I was reminded today of how marketing dollars can be wasted in an effort to save money. A client of ours came to us for advice on how to fix a problem that he was trying to solve himself. In hindsight, he realized that he should have hired us to manage the project instead of trying to do it himself.

Clients often come to us in a moment of need. They have a problem that needs fixing and fast. Regardless of how it came about, we’re always here to help.

Let’s take a look at how these five DIY disasters happened, so they don’t happen to you.

1) Going for cheap and cheerful

More than one business owner has contacted us with a half-built website or one that won’t convert. In the first scenario, it was because their web developer disappeared in the night. In the second example, their website was so badly broken that we identified 76 things to fix. Ironically, it typically costs a client more for us to fix or finish someone else’s work rather than to simply start over.

When selecting an digital marketing agency or provider, cost has to be a consideration. But when it’s the only one, your marketing ROI suffers.

2) Getting stuck knee deep in a project

Clients are known to call us in a panic. Why? They were attempting to segment their email list and accidently deleted it, or they can’t finish writing a proposal by next week’s deadline. The list goes on. Marketing budgets are under pressure. We get it. Resources are stretched too thin.

Long term, you can actually save precious dollars and time by leaning on your marketing agency to take on those projects that need extra care and attention to detail. With their time and talent at your disposal, you’ll sleep much better at night, too!

3) Lacking marketing expertise when you need it the most

Most marketing emergencies happen on social media when surprises sneak up on you. We once had a call from a client whose social media account was hacked into while their social media expert was on vacation in Europe. In another instance, a client’s brand reputation was under fire and they didn’t know how to respond. Whatever the predicament, you need a strong team to come to the rescue.

Don’t get caught short – it’s just not worth the fallout. Make sure that your back-up plan has the marketing communications experience and expertise to get you out of the tightest jam. Go one step further and prevent one from happening.

The surest way to miss out on a qualified lead is to fail to target potential buyers online who are researching your product or service.^“

4) Missing out on opportunities

You don’t know, what you don’t know. It’s a cliche for a reason. Not segmenting your list is one sure way to miss out when planning your next email newsletter. Sending the same sales promotion to everyone in your customer database is inefficient and ineffective. We’ve helped many clients achieve higher open rates, click-thru’s and better sales with targeted special offers.

The surest way to miss out on a qualified lead is to fail to target potential buyers online who are researching your product or service. A remarketing campaign serves up display ads to users of your app or to people who have previously visited your website. With clever and customized messaging, you’ll bring them back and one step closer to closing a sale.

Whatever the reason, missing out means missing ROI. Deploying specialists across various disciplines, such as digital marketing, will bake the latest tricks and trends into your marketing campaign.

5) Going it alone

Inhouse marketing services can be very effective. We work with many clients who have them and yet they know their limits in terms of resources. Investing in the right agency partner is like extending your marketing department, allowing you to discover new opportunities, boost your brand’s performance measures, and avoid costly mistakes.

Ask any marketer why they stay with their advertising agency. You’ll get a list of good reasons, from creative and clever to trustworthy and fun. Tomorrow, when we’re all another day older, maybe even a little wiser, I’d like to think that it’s because we deliver good value for our client’s marketing investment.