As a small business owner I have filled every role within the company, realizing that without a strong branding campaign business growth stood still. I am guilty of hiring firms to 'streamline my marketing strategy,' manage my social media & write my blogs while my partner and I took on the rest of the tasks required to run a successful business thinking this was the most cost effective way to handle my advertising. Here's what I learned- hire out tasks, hone passion. There is no amount of money you can pay a firm for them to understand your specific niche, industry, or local market. While they promise increased leads and web traffic, do they know that to you every lead means a client, and every client means another influencer to add to your team? You see, this takes a person who is results driven, representing your company as if it is their own.