Business owners are well aware how marketing can be vital to their success. Yet according to a survey I recently came across, many business owners look at marketing as something they know they need but just can’t get themselves to do.

According to the survey, that’s primarily due to stress from the complexities of today’s small and midsized business ecosystem that makes marketing much more difficult. The complexity is driven by the sheer number of marketing options available to businesses. Which avenues should be pursued? Which should be ignored?

For business owners who don’t have the knowledge base, desire, or the budget to know which marketing route to take, it can indeed create a stressful environment.

In the report, Marc Pickren, CEO, OutboundEngine, says, "Marketing is a key factor in driving the growth or slowdown of a business. And business owners must commit to investing in their marketing efforts."

For most business owners, marketing is not their primary skill set. Think of the manufacturer who likely came from an engineering background or the professional service firm owner whose skill set is more likely in accounting or finance, two areas of business that are as far from marketing as can be. For them, if they don’t have the budget or in-house talent to carry out the task, it becomes a problem. This inevitably creates a stressful environment for small and midsized businesses.

This all begs the question, "Why are business owners so reluctant to seek help with their marketing if they know it is something that will grow their business and they don’t have the skill set around them?"