Granted, not everything can be measured or tested for whatever reason, like Facebook page closure for example. (Although, and perhaps it is different for retail brands, but if SAAS companies started losing customers because they closed a Facebook page, I would say that there is either something horribly wrong with the world or something wrong with the software.)

I agree that seeking advice is great for getting new ideas and different angles, but if anybody will teach me about a client base or if the advice is any good, it will be the data I have available or that I can obtain through testing.

Regarding the developer vs marketer. The more detailed question is better of course.

If this was a real question … I really want to answer it because it is something I am struggling with at the moment. I think best by talking out loud. I’m just happy if you listen. But your advice would be great too. This is how I’d answer it.

Short answer: Get the developer.

Long answer: In your case your developers are your assets and your marketers are your cash. Yes people buy on emotion, but when the hype settles they will look at the value of the product. A marketers job is to tell the truth attractively – not tell lies (eg false delivery times) attractively. If the product sucks, the marketing sucks. As a start-up you’re selling hope to investors/customers. But once the start-up has enough cash, it’s job is to turn the cash (eggs) into assets (chickens) and its assets should produce more cash (eggs). You said you could do the marketing yourself – so you have the cash to buy a developer and you can’t code (as well as marketing) yourself. Sure, a pro-marketer may get 1-20% better results than you but they may even be 1-20% worse than you. You want to think they are going to be better – but that is because you are getting lazy and bored with marketing. Your job is to do your job. Without knowing anything, the owner must sell because the business idea is in their head and it is inefficient and expensive to grow that idea outside of their own head in another persons head. Think of marketing as the atmosphere. As you approach space – you really have to know what you are doing otherwise you will burn up or run out of air (ie hype) – would you trust someone else flying your rocket ship? Yes, a little extra marketing help is not a CEO. But a little extra help is usually needed on the ground than in the air. So as your business goes up (in the atmosphere) you need more control at a ‘high’ level. But to support you at that high level – you need an increasing team of smart engineers on the ‘ground’ at mission control sending you the information you need to stay in control. Remember, you as a business owner should think as an investor – it is a lot safer to build on solid ground (ie a physical product) than it is to build a space station in thin air (marketing hype). The saying ‘build it and they will come’ may not be entirely true – but it is a lot safer than ‘say you’re great and they will come’. Look at slack.com – Butterfield doesn’t even know why the company is so successful. Maybe it is because Slack moved away from the hype of the gaming world and into the fun of the business world.

Nuff said – now lets get down to business and back to work.

And the Biggest co-incidence was that when you used Kids in your example – cuz it was only this morning I was thinking about a similar situation – “Treating your Customers and Team as if they were kids” – By which I mean – Spark Curiosity, Encourage questions and answer EVERY “Why?” EVERY time. That’s what creates an engaging and connected environment which is just Beautiful!!

Great timely post yet again!