President/CEO of Joseph’s Premier Real Estate; professor of finance, business, real estate at IRSC; author of Madness, Miracles, Millions.
getty
If you run a small business, you’re bound to receive marketing solicitations from random salespeople. I receive pitches on a new product or service multiple times per week.
One of the most common pitches is for social media advertising, designed to increase sales by reaching new customers through digital channels. A salesperson will reach out claiming to have expertise on Facebook, Google and Twitter advertising, which could, theoretically, be used to boost sales by X percent or Y dollars.
While more than three-quarters of small businesses use social media for key business functions, it remains a blind spot for many small business owners who would rather focus on other business needs, such as recruiting and training. Therefore, small business owners are all too willing to outsource digital advertising to…