If you are a business owner looking to start marketing for your company, you are not alone. If you are asking yourself what exactly marketing is and how long it takes to work. You are also not alone.

It is a question we get often, and one with a more complex answer than “yes” or “no”.

I will never forget the time I was studying abroad in London with a group of PR and Journalism students and a very shy girl in the back asked “But is there a difference in PR and Marketing?” Valid question, I thought. As a journalist I had legitimately no clue. The PR students in the room however gasped at the thought of her ignorance.

I still wanted to know the answer.

Fast forward almost a decade, and every time I go to explain what marketing can do for a growing business, that is what I think about.

Because here is the misunderstood thing with Marketing: It is not a quick fix to making money. It is a way to set your companies appearance up for the long run. Marketing is a tool to help define your brand, outline a plan, and try, try, try again.

So when you think about marketing, think about the ongoing future of your company. And maybe keep in mind my 3/6/12 rule. 3 months in you are going to wonder what you got yourself into. You should be vetting a plan, getting things in order, and honestly be a little confused. 6 months in you should start to get your footing, understand what is going on, and begin to see a shift in your business. And 12 months in with marketing you should know what works and what doesn’t, have an increase in sales. Which in the end if the goal after all!