Even Experts Hire Experts

Specialist: a person who concentrates primarily on a particular subject or activity; a person highly skilled in a specific and restricted field.

Do you ever get asked to do things related to your business, but it’s not really your field of expertise? We do.

On a regular basis, we’re asked things like:

• “I need to be on the first page of Google. Can you do that for me?”
• “I don’t know what to write, can you just write it for me?”
• “Will you implement x,y,z on Facebook Ads, Pinterest Ads, Google Ads, etc., and, while you’re at it, post everything for me? Oh, and don’t forget, I want 10K shares by tomorrow – I need this to go viral.”
• “I want a special page that people can upload a photo of themselves and then it will automatically add the clothes I’m selling so they can see what it looks like on them, plus the accessories. (Or some variation of this that requires a big budget for a highly technical application that involves custom programming.) That’s possible, right…and within our original budget?”
• “My budget is $_______, and I want my site to be the next Amazon / Facebook / YouTube, etc.” (See note above.)

Of course, we’d love to help with these things because we’re online magic makers, right? But, these types of services are out of our scope of expertise. These things require Google, SEO, or social media experts; business coaches; photographers; copywriters; a marketing team; programmers; or another type of skilled professional. We CAN help with SOME of these tasks…to an extent. But, just like you CAN paint your whole house, that doesn’t mean you want or have the time to do it…and more importantly, that you have the skills to do it really well.

Now, if we had a dollar for each time we were expected to know or implement any of these highly specialized services… let’s just say we could finally adopt all of the homeless dogs in the world and have a ten million acre ranch where they could live and play, complete with private, on-staff vets and a live-in staff of caretakers…with money to spare! Can you tell we’ve been asked more than once? {And now you know our ultimate dream!}

But do you blame people? How do they know we aren’t the Google or SEO experts or copywriters or advanced coders/programmers? I mean…it all has to do with a website right??

Think about it like this…

Would you let your dentist cut your hair? Heck, no!

Would you want or expect professional advice regarding your diet or health from your nail lady? And you wouldn’t want your doctor to give you a mani-pedi, right? You want it to look good and be done right – the first time! Even though each of these services involves your body in some way, each service provider has a specific skillset that is required to do the job and do it well.

When we need a specialized service – especially when it’s one we don’t feel 100% confidently skilled in, we hire an expert. We want things done right. Who doesn’t?

Would you let your dentist cut your hair? Experts hire experts. Click To Tweet

“So what all DO you specialize in?”

Graphic Design:
Some graphic designers focus only on print design (i.e. brochures, flyers, business cards, booklets, etc.), while some focus more (or completely) on digital design (i.e. web design mockups, graphics for ads, email marketing layouts, etc.). We work on both digital and print design projects, including, of course, logo design.

For projects that require original illustrations, we call upon our trusted graphic artist to assist us. If you’re feeling curious, read the difference between a graphic designer and graphic artist here.

Web Design:
Web design is a unique skillset in and of itself. There are UX (“User Experience”) designers and UI (“User Interface”) designers, and the distinction between the two can become a bit of a gray area at times. User Experience designers focus more on a website’s ease of use and how pleasant the experience is for the user. User Interface designers focus more on the technical aspect, such as how the website functions and flows. You can read more about the UX and UI differences here.

We are UX and UI designers.

Web Development:
Think of your web developer as a home builder and the web designer as an interior designer. The builder (developer) uses the best tools, creates a solid foundation, builds the bones, and adds the plumbing, electricity, and security for a solid, safe home. The interior designer (web designer) makes things pleasant to look at and easy to use and live in. Both of these experts work together to create the perfect home, just as we work together (with each other and you) to build your beautiful online home.

Since the focus of this blog post is to share what we specialize in and who we recommend for services we do not specialize in, this would be a great time to tell you what software we use to build websites.

We build all of our clients’ websites in WordPress, which is the Content Management System (CMS) used on over one-third of all websites on the internet. That means that we aren’t experts in other website builders like Squarespace, Wix, or Weebly, as those are completely different animals.

Website Maintenance, Email Marketing and other technical “stuff”
When you move into your new home, you will need to maintain it (i.e. change air filters and light bulbs, fix things when they break, and keep it clean). Then, there’s insurance, electricity, internet, and more…all of which are required in order to keep everything running and protected. Then, you may want to add more decor every so often.

Once a website launches, there is always going to be more work to be done. You must maintain your website by keeping the software updated and ensuring it’s backed up and secure. You’ll also want to keep the content updated (adding or removing staff and/or products, adding blog posts, updating photo galleries, and so much more). In addition to your website – but still related to your business and website – you have email marketing to think about. If you have an email opt-in form on your website, you’re probably using those email addresses to send out newsletters.

We specialize in helping you with all of your post-website-launch needs (except the ones we don’t specialize in, which you’ll read more about below). Our Golden Maintenance Package is the key ingredient to your website’s ongoing maintenance recipe.

“Ok, we get it… so who do I call for other things I need for my business and/or website, such as Google or Facebook Ads, a copywriter, a social media manager, etc.?”

You’re in luck! We have a select handful of trusted professionals we rely on and recommend. When you come on board as a client, we can help facilitate the introduction to another service provider or even oversee the project for you. Either way, you’ll want to check them out (and we’ll want you to as well) to make sure they are the right fit for your needs. Below are a few experts we recommend.

BONUS
We asked a few of these pros to share some helpful website tips as it
relates to their select services! This is JUST FOR YOU!
Many thanks to our kind experts for sharing your brain!

Google & SEO:
Rebecca Gill of Web Savvy Marketing: SEO Consulting Services
Whitespark: whitespark.ca
Moz’s List of recommended SEO consultants

Copywriting:
Sarah Marie Anderson: sarahmarieanderson.com
Nicole Baute: nicolebaute.com
Jessi and Marie @ North Star: northstarmessaging.com
Courtney Johnston @ The Rule Breaker’s Club*: rulebreakersclub.com
Nikki Elledge Brown*: www.nikkielledgebrown.com
*Not offering one-on-one services anymore, but has great copywriting courses and resources

Programmers/Coders:
This is a tricky one because it's hard to know when/if you'll need a programmer to accomplish something on your website. It's best to discuss your needs and wishes with us before we get started on your project so we can collaborate with a programmer early on.

Advanced Techie Tasks:
Lance Dockins @ WordKeeper: wordkeeper.com

Social Media Experts:
Laura Ball: lauraball.co
Renee Key @ Bread & Butter Consulting: breadnbutterconsulting.com

Business Coaches:
Krista Smith @ Activate Her Awesome activateherawesome.com
Summer Tannhauser: summertannhauser.com

Want a perfect website? Here are the experts we have on speed dial. #websitetips #smallbusiness Click To Tweet

You don't have to figure this out on your own

Part of being successful is knowing who to call on when you need help. We wear many hats as business owners, but we can only do so much. Calling upon experts when we need assistance has truly helped us grow, and we hope sharing our recommendations will help your business grow, too!

Have an expert you love? Please share! We'd love to know who they are and why you love them! 🙂 Or, if you need a recommendation for another type of specialty, ask us in the comments below. We're happy to help you out!