I first discovered the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network as a reader of all things Duct Tape Marketing, and have now been a Duct Tape Marketing Consultant for 2 years.  The system immediately appealed to me, because it just made perfect sense.

Successful small business marketing can be simple, but it isn’t easy.  While the Duct Tape Marketing System is not technically complex or hard to do, really applying the system to your business requires focus, support, and discipline.  As a small business marketing and sales director before striking out on my own as a consultant, the broad principles of the system gelled with what I had for years believed to be true about the unique struggles in small business marketing and how to best address them.

Too often, small businesses buy an advertising program without a plan for measuring results, or practice “spaghetti marketing” – throwing things against the wall to see what sticks.  Another common pitfall is the tendency to put off marketing until someone has the time to do it or can get around to it.  I have a small business myself, and I know from experience that sales will always win – closing a deal will always take priority over writing a blog post or expanding your audience reach.  The Duct Tape Marketing System helps keep things on track so they get done.

Why I Joined the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network

I joined the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network because I could see the value it would bring not just to my clients, but also to my marketing consultant business.  In the beginning, I was most interested taking in leads and information from the network.  I used the eBooks, presentations, and other content in my business and also got the benefit of having a credible brand behind me that supported and reinforced what I believed.  Knowing I had the credibility of Duct Tape Marketing behind me reduced the fear and anxiety associated with stepping out on my own as an independent marketing consultant.

But the real value is and has been this:  once I really got integrated into the network, I had the benefit of not only being in the network, but also of collaboration, expertise, support, and relationships.  In addition, we’re always on the cutting edge of what’s next in small business marketing – particularly online marketing – with a perspective on the potential value of new developments for our clients and how to best put them to use. I don’t have to go find, research and digest all that is new in small business marketing – and there is something new every day – because I have the collective expertise of over 100 folks around the world to help me figure it out as well.  The network provides added value to my clients, who are getting the benefit of not only what I have learned over the years, but also the benefit of other network members’ expertise.

How the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network Has Helped My Business

Being a part of the network essentially gave my business a running start.  From the day I opened, I didn’t have to write pitch decks or eBooks from scratch – I had access to Duct Tape Marketing’s content.  I also got to spend a week with other consultants at Duct Tape Marketing headquarters, learning the system for building and growing my business – and my clients’ businesses – from John Jantsch, Creator of the Duct Tape Marketing System.   In addition, I’ve realized the following benefits from being a part of the network:

1. Partners – I’ve found collaborators in the Network for both selling and building great marketing solutions for small businesses, in addition to software applications that help me get more done.
2. Capabilities – I’ve become a virtual integrated small business marketing agency, and I didn’t have to hire 50 people to do it.
3. Leverage & Scalable Solutions – The system has given me access to solutions that are repeatable, proven to be effective, and appropriately scaled to small businesses.
4. Friendships & Collaborations – Without the Network, I would not have written my first book within the first 2 years of opening my business.  I also would not have had a full team of partners for implementing packaged marketing services for local small business owners, in a model that’s both profitable for me and affordable for my clients.

How the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network Has Furthered My Development & Platform

Thanks to being a part of the network, I’m now a published author – and not just an author, but a co-author of an Amazon best-seller.  I’ve learned a huge amount, much more than I would have if I was just working solo, and I learn more every day.  It’s increased my personal network exponentially; I’ve met a lot of people I never would have met otherwise.  It has saved me time, since I don’t have to wade through everything because someone has already done it.  In fact, I often feel like I have to step up my game in contributing to the network, so that I’m not always just getting valuable information from others but giving it as well.

The Bottom Line

Without the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network, I’d be trying to figure out everything all on my own.  I’d be working longer hours and getting less accomplished – which of course translates into being less profitable and less effective for my clients.  As a part of the network, I’ve got infrastructure, solutions, and colleagues who are always there to help me grow my business – as I am for them.  The network makes my business easier, more efficient, more effective, more profitable, and more enjoyable.  But the biggest benefit of all goes to my clients, who finally have an affordable and effective marketing system that’s easy to follow and monitor for results.

This post originally appeared on the Fortune Marketing Blog