Hire the Best Expert Who Isn’t You

Have you spent any time thinking about maxims recently? In most cases, you’d be well served to heed some of the lessons a simple maxim – or proverb – presents. In this case, I’m talking about the cobbler and his family.

You know this guy. He makes a great product, can repair any make, model or style of shoe, and is the guy all the royalty go to when they have a ball or beheading to attend. Now look in the mirror.

What are you known for? Communications? Style? Finance? Medicine? Plumbing? Cobbling?

Whatever your specialty, how often do you treat yourself or your family with the same effort and expertise as you would your top clients? This isn’t an accusation that you’re shortchanging your loved ones. No, it’s an understanding that sometimes you get a better result – even in your own field – if you hire an expert to do some work for you.

I speak from experience. For 21 years I’ve written everything from Bar Mitvah toasts to corporate taglines and from marketing plans to mountain bike books. But when it comes to crafting my own branding copy, I seek out specialists. I’m too close to the client (me) to get a complete picture of how best to present my brand.

The same is true of hair stylists, dentists and chiropractors. Except in their cases you can fully understand why they can’t treat or serve themselves. In intellectual or business pursuits, the distinction is less clear, but even more critical. The time you save by not being your own client leaves you free to complete paying gigs for others.

By hiring a specialist, you become more efficient. When I hired some folks to do some of my business branding for JeffCutler.com, I was able to take this task off my to-do list and focus on my clients. It’s a win-win for the entire universe (maybe a little hyberbole there).

That point made, I’ll wrap this little lesson with another adage, or saying. It comes from the legal profession where they sometimes speak the truth. It says…

“The lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client.”

Next time you are thinking about image, online presence and Websites, think about the cobbler and the lawyer. Then talk to the best expert who isn’t you to get the job done.