Afew years ago, a friend of ours borrowed a two-story ladder so he could clean out his second story dryer vent. As his wife watched from below, he climbed the ladder successfully, reached up to remove the vent cover and was promptly attacked by a bird who had made its home in the vent. “Attacked” may be too strong of a word, but the bird did cause him to nearly fall off the ladder, which would have been bad. He and his wife attributed his safe survival that day to a higher power as they shared the story with us as a cautionary tale. We also have a second story dryer vent and have since hired a professional to clean the vent.
 I’m not a fan of DIY, especially when heights are involved. My husband is handy and can tackle some projects, but there are certain things we both believe should be left to the experts — both at home and at work.
 It’s always surprising to me how many business owners and managers tackle responsibilities that should be left to an expert, including marketing and branding.
 I get it. As a Type A person there is always a voice in my head telling me to just do it (whatever “it” is) because it’ll be done the way I want it done. I know I’m not alone in this thought process.
 An article on entrepreneur.com said it best, “The U.S. is an individualistic culture where Americans believe taking control of every aspect of their lives equals success. In reality, letting go of control can lean your business opportunities to reach new benefits. Everyone isn’t good at everything, and that is perfectly OK. As business leaders, learning how to delegate important projects to expert teams that are knowledgeable and trustworthy can bring unsurmountable relief.”
 Along with “unsurmountable relief,” here are three benefits you’ll experience when you hire an expert:
 Expertise: The most obvious benefit of hiring an expert is that they bring to the table years of experience and expertise in their given field. Experts are current on industry trends, rules and regulations. Whether it’s taxes, pest control or advertising design, if it’s not your field, leave the job to someone who knows best. If you’re reading this, you’re an expert at something, and I’d wager you agree that nobody can do what you do better. Let the experts do what they do best so you can do the same.
 Perspective: Hiring an expert offers owners and managers an important outside perspective, which is especially important when it comes to marketing and branding. For example, some owners and managers are unable to explain what they do to consumers in easy-to-understand terms. A brand expert can do this. A business can be like a person’s child, making it hard to be objective when it comes to its strengths and weaknesses. An outside perspective ensures an honest review of challenges and solutions.
 Time: I bet a lot of business owners and leaders agree that time is just as valuable as money. No matter your industry, if you’re spending time on your branding or taxes instead of the service you provide, it will cost you money in the immediate. In the long term, spending time focused outside of your field could cause you to fall behind on trends, tech or general current events in your industry, leading to more loss — both financial and time. Instead, free up time by letting the experts handle it.
 Keep in mind, however, that hiring an expert doesn’t free up every minute you previously spent on branding, for example. Just as you wouldn’t hire a contractor to remodel your kitchen without seeing the plans or picking the materials, it’s important to invest time with experts, but let them flesh out and implement the plan. Experts handle the heavy lifting, freeing up time for owners and managers to think about the bigger picture.
 While finding experts to help with various aspects of your business can be a challenge, the very paper you’re holding is a good place to start. Businesses who advertise in our newspapers are reputable, most are members of their area chamber of commerce and they’re all smart enough to see the value in print marketing.
 If you’re looking for a team of branding and marketing experts, you’ve found that right here. With decades of experience, our team can help build your brand from a full rebrand, to logo design, to event planning to campaign creation. We are trusted experts in our field and would be happy to offer our expertise and our perspective, ultimately freeing up your time to build your business. I’d love to learn how we can help you. Email me at ecaswell@mihomepaper.com.
 Emily Caswell is the Brand Manager for VIEW Group, the branding division of View Newspaper Group.