Implementing a good marketing strategy is a challenge for many businesses. Methodologies such as They Ask, You Answer or StoryBrand may provide a clear framework, but practical implementation often remains a stumbling block. As a business owner or marketing and sales manager, you are faced with a choice: Do you invest in a structured program, or do you try to learn the principles yourself through books and online resources?

If you're cost-conscious, the temptation is to choose self-study. You buy a book for a few bucks, share it with your team and get to work. But is that really the most effective approach? In practice, many companies get stuck during implementation because they don't have the right structure, tools or guidance.

As a head coach at Buzzlytics, I've experienced both routes. First as a CMO at a SaaS company trying to train a marketing team based on books and self-study, later as a coach helping companies with a structured program. I have seen how even experienced marketing managers struggle with the practical application of these principles, and how a good program can accelerate and improve this process.

In this article, I compare both methods: self-study versus a structured program. You'll learn what the pros and cons of both approaches are, what hidden costs are involved in self-study, and when investing in a program is worth it. After reading, you can make an informed decision about which approach best suits your company, team and goals.

You can understand all the principles, hand out books to your team and try to convey your vision, but the translation to daily practice often remains a challenge without guidance.

In theory, you could argue that you can learn anything from a book. Indeed, the basics of They Ask, You Answer and StoryBrand are described in books and give you a good idea of the overarching concept. These books are an excellent way to be introduced to a new marketing approach.

But practice proves more stubborn. Many entrepreneurs and marketing or sales managers get stuck when they want to actually implement this knowledge in their business. You can understand all the principles, hand out books to your team and try to transfer your vision, but the translation to daily practice often remains a challenge.

As the leader of an organization or team, you can't dictate the details of your employees' work. You can hardly say to your content manager, "I would write the introduction of articles using the PEP method, and I'm going to check every article of yours from now on."

This is problematic for two reasons:

1. This micromanagement approach doesn't fit a mature, professional team
2. With a large team, it's practically impossible to control everything

You have a different role as a leader: you have to inspire people and make sure they take ownership of their work. But that also means you can't always provide the in-depth training your team needs to really master the methodology.

Also read: What is the CEO's role in a thriving They Ask, You Answer program?

The reality is that as a business leader, you're often working on larger strategic projects. You are responsible for different aspects of the business and chess on multiple boards at once:

• Strategic projects
• Managementverantwoordelijkheden
• Possible acquisitions or sale of the organization
• Large clients and contracts

This also applies to sales managers, who often want to be with the big customers themselves and make progress there. The result is that, as much as you'd like to, you can't invest enough time in developing your team in this particular area.

Self-study initially sounds like a cost-effective solution. However, there are several pitfalls that mean this approach often does not produce the desired results.

The content you produce is the voice of your business. It's how you communicate with your (potential) customers, how you demonstrate your expertise and how you build trust. Outsourcing this is like a restaurant having its menu written by someone who has never tasted the food.

An in-house content manager knows your company inside out. He knows exactly which questions customers ask, what the pain points are and how your solution responds to them. This depth is reflected in the quality of the content.

The same goes for video. An in-house videographer gets to know your company's culture and knows exactly what type of video fits your brand and target audience. This creates consistency and authenticity that is hard to achieve with outside parties.

A second major pitfall is that implementation via self-study often takes too long to really get results. The question you need to ask yourself is: do you want to master it within a year, or do you want to take five years?

For most organizations, a five-year course is simply too long. By then, you as a manager may not even be employed by the company anymore, leaving your impact half-baked and unfinished.

Books provide the overarching picture, but not all the finer points needed for successful implementation. For example, a book doesn't tell you exactly how to write an effective article. It doesn't describe in detail how to build an introduction or what elements are crucial for a persuasive text.

The same principles apply to videos and other marketing tools. The basic principles are in the book, but it's precisely in the practical part - where things get really tough - that concrete guidance is lacking.

Another practical problem with self-study is that you quickly drown in the amount of information. There are thousands of hours of content online about marketing methodologies. How do you decide where to start? How do you know what to prioritize?

Without structure and guidance, the abundance of information can become overwhelming, leading to paralysis and procrastination instead of effective implementation.

A structured program offers several benefits that self-study can't match, often making the investment more than worth it.

A good program helps you implement the method in logical, manageable steps. The program is designed to get you started on different aspects of implementation in a thoughtful sequence.

This will prevent you from getting bogged down in details or not seeing the forest for the trees. The complex methodology is broken down into concrete action items that you can implement step by step, no matter when you start the program.

One of the biggest advantages of a program is the immediate feedback you get. Just like learning to play a musical instrument, a coach can immediately see where you're making mistakes and point them out right away.

For example, a piano teacher can immediately see if you're placing your fingers correctly on the keys and can correct you before you learn the wrong habits. Similarly, a marketing coach can give you instant feedback on your content or sales calls, helping you learn faster and avoid mistakes that would otherwise be difficult to unlearn.

Like learning to play a musical instrument, a coach can immediately see where you're making mistakes and point them out right away.

Programs often offer ready-made templates and tools that make implementation significantly easier. Instead of reinventing the wheel, you are provided with proven formats that you can immediately use and adapt to your specific situation.

A program provides structure and accountability essential for successful implementation. Regular check-ins and deadlines motivate you to persevere, even when the going gets tough for a while. This external structure ensures that you continue to invest in implementation, which significantly increases your chances of success.

Perhaps the most important benefit is that a program can train not only you, but your entire team. A good coach can teach your team exactly how to put the methodology into practice, while you can focus on your strategic responsibilities.

This is invaluable because it ensures that the methodology is truly embedded in your organization, rather than merely remaining in the head of the leader.

Also read: Which variant of marketing and sales program suits my business?

The biggest hidden cost of self-study is in the missed opportunities.

When considering between self-study and a program, return on investment(ROI) obviously plays an important role. While the cost of self-study may seem much lower at first glance, it is important to consider all factors.

The biggest hidden cost of self-study is in the missed opportunities. If you can put a well-optimized article about costs or prices, for example, online now that ranks right at the top of Google, you'll start getting results today. If you don't have the right knowledge to do this effectively for another year or two, you'll be missing out on potential customers and sales all that time.

In addition to missed opportunities, mistakes in implementation come at a cost. For example, without expert feedback, you may write a cost article that could have been much more effective. The problem is that no one tells you that you could have done better - you miss the opportunity to learn and improve.

The ROI calculation for a program is relatively simple: how many additional deals do you need to fund the program? And do you believe those additional deals will follow from the improved marketing and sales approach?

Of course, no program can guarantee specific results - that would be unrealistic. Every industry and business is different, and ultimately success depends on how well the methodology is implemented. But the question is whether you believe that investing in a program will lead to enough additional sales to pay for itself.

Another important aspect of the ROI equation is how quickly you can expect results. A structured program can drastically reduce implementation time, so you'll get results faster and start seeing ROI sooner.

The question you need to ask yourself is: do you want to see results in a year, or are you willing to wait years until you reach the right level via self-study?

While a structured program is the best option for most businesses, there are situations where self-study can still be considered.

The most obvious reason to choose self-study is a limited budget. If you really don't have the financial resources to invest in a program, then self-study is better than nothing.

Still, it's important to ask yourself if there really isn't a business case to be made for a program. If one or two additional deals per month already make the program profitable, the investment threshold may be lower than you think.

If a full program is out of reach, there are still ways to get more out of self-study. For example, you can:

• Attend a one-time workshop to learn the basics
• Find specific training for certain aspects of methodology
• Attend events to combine networking and learning
• Follow a smaller, more focused training program for only the essentials

If you do choose self-study, make sure you make it as small and manageable as possible. Focus on one specific aspect at a time and start with the Big Five blog topics. These topics (costs, problems, comparisons, best-in-class and reviews) are proven effective and can be a good starting point.

Note: To date, no company is known to have fully successfully implemented methodology based on self-study alone. Most come back after a year asking, "We wrote three little blogs, it did work a little bit, but we really want to go all-in now. How do we do that?"

Looking back at the question of whether it's better to learn marketing and sales methodologies from books or through a structured program, the answer is nuanced but clear. Yes, self-study is possible, but for most businesses it is not the most effective path to results.

The choice between self-study and a program ultimately revolves around what you want to accomplish and in what time frame. Self-study typically takes more time, lacks the benefits of immediate feedback and accountability, and often leads to less complete implementation. For companies serious about getting results with methods such as They Ask, You Answer, a structured program offers a faster path to success.

Think back to the example of learning to play a musical instrument. Learning to play independently via YouTube may be sufficient for a hobby, but for those who really want to excel, a teacher is essential. The same logic applies to your marketing strategy: if marketing is a core part of your business strategy and not just a "hobby," it deserves serious investment in the right guidance.

At Buzzlytics, we've guided countless companies through the implementation of StoryBrand and They Ask, You Answer. Time and time again, we see that companies who choose a structured program get results faster and get further than those who try it on their own. We are here to train your team, support implementation and ensure you successfully integrate the method into your business.

Wondering if a structured program like our marketing and sales program is right for your business? Then contact us for a no-obligation consultation. We will gladly help you determine which approach best suits your specific situation, goals and budget.