Influencing fortunes – why marketing deserves more respect

For more than 30 years, I’ve been helping individuals and organisations of every size and sector raise their profile. I’ve built and strengthened reputations. I’ve positioned people as experts in their field and businesses as leaders in their market.

In short, I’ve contributed significantly to their growth and success.

What my colleagues and I do isn’t rocket science, but it is a professional discipline. It requires training, skill and an ability to constantly adapt in a fast-moving environment. We never stop learning because the marketing landscape never stops shifting.

There’s a well-known story about a senior lawyer who charged thousands of pounds for 15 minutes of advice. When questioned, he replied, “You weren’t charged for the 15 minutes. You were charged for the 30 years of experience that made those 15 minutes possible.”

And, quite rightly, he was paid.

So why is the same level of respect not routinely afforded to marketing professionals?

Reframing perceptions

In the early days of my career, I was almost apologetic about being in marketing. I placed the traditional professions—especially law and accounting—on a pedestal. I assumed that professionals in those sectors were more intelligent, more valuable, and more commercially important. Age and experience have taught me otherwise.

Those of us in the so-called “non-traditional” professions bring our own highly specialised expertise. We play a critical role in commercial success. Marketing, with its many disciplines, has the power to fundamentally change the trajectory of a business, organisation or individual.

While financial advisers often help clients become more profitable by reducing overheads, marketers help them grow by attracting more business. Different tactics, same end goal.

Changing outcomes

I was recently taken out for a celebratory meal by a client who’d sold his business for several million pounds.  He openly acknowledged that the strategic marketing we had delivered was instrumental in his successful exit.

From day one, he trusted us with his long-term plan. He shared his growth strategy, new product pipeline and the sectors he wanted to enter. That transparency allowed us to build a marketing strategy that supported every commercial objective.

A blend of activity – SEO, database marketing, media relations, speaking opportunities, content creation, LinkedIn activity and selective PPC – generated waves of new customers.

At the same time, we strengthened his company’s profile in business and trade media: talking about growth, new contracts, expertise and momentum. And suddenly competitors, investors and even overseas companies started taking notice.

In the end, six organisations competed to buy his business.

Don’t for one minute think I’m deluding myself that this success was down to marketing alone, but strategic, consistent profile-raising played an undeniable role.

This isn’t an isolated story.

Of course, we recognise that an exit isn’t always the desired outcome so flex our approach to address whatever the commercial objectives might be – entering a new sector, attracting talent, supporting a tender, increasing website visits and enquiries, improving internal comms and team morale.

Marketing afterthoughts

I’ve lost count of the number of start-ups who contact us wanting marketing yet are surprised by the cost, despite us being extremely competitive. They want the RO without the I.

Almost without exception, they’ve already appointed an accountant, hired a lawyer and invested heavily in developing their product or service … but somehow forgot they needed to tell the world it exists.

So here’s a gentle plea to accountants everywhere

As trusted advisers, please encourage your clients to budget for marketing. Without it, how will customers know a business exists? How will anyone recognise or trust a brand they’ve never heard of?

Commercially critical

Marketing is not abstract or intangible. It isn’t a luxury or an indulgence. It is a vital component of growth that delivers real, measurable return on investment.

Just like lawyers, accountants and other professionals, what we sell is our time, our experience and our expertise. And like them, we value it and we don’t give it away.

We play a meaningful, measurable role in our clients’ success. We’re proud of the work we do and the impact we make. We help shape reputations. We influence fortunes.