We Tried to Fix the Washer Ourselves… Here’s What That Taught Me About DIY Marketing

Our washer broke. And like most people, our first thought wasn’t to call someone. It was, we can figure this out.

So we did what you do. We researched. We watched videos. We took panels off. We ordered a part that we were fairly sure was the problem. Fairly sure being the key phrase. I didn’t fully understand what the part did, but based on what I could find, it seemed right. Or at least right enough to try.

While we waited for the part, we adjusted. Laundry baskets went into the car. We found ourselves at the laundromat, loading machines, folding clothes, making the best of it. Honestly, the laundromat wasn’t all bad. Being able to run multiple loads at once felt efficient. For a minute, it even felt like a win.

Until it didn’t.

I couldn’t go at my normal laundry times because those were also everyone else’s laundry times. Sometimes I waited for machines. Sometimes I had to leave clothes while I ran errands. Nothing terrible happened, but it added friction. And when you have kids in sports, pets, and a household that produces a lot of laundry, that friction adds up quickly.

Then the part arrived. We installed it. We felt hopeful.

And the washer still didn’t work.

At that point we had purchased extra parts we weren’t completely sure we needed. We had paid for trips to the laundromat. We had spent time troubleshooting. And we still didn’t have a working washer.

So we did the thing we probably should have done sooner. We called a professional. Someone local. Someone who does this every day.

He came in, took one look, and found two things immediately. We had purchased the wrong part. And there was a broken wire we had no way of knowing about. Once those were fixed, the washer worked.

Yes, we paid for his time. And also, we were washing clothes at home again.

Looking back, DIY wasn’t the problem. Guessing was. We used time, money, and energy trying to solve the wrong problem when the right resource was right in front of us the entire time.

And that’s when this stopped being a laundry story for me.

Hearth and Craft Candle Co. is excellent actually at photography, but she still hires me. Why? Well she knows the value of her time and the value of my creativity. Where she shines…she is amazing at creating social media and marketing from my images…. she makes me look just as good as I make her look! .

What DIY Might Be Costing You in Your Marketing

I love the DIY spirit. Truly. I love people who try to understand things, who research, who want to use their resources wisely. Many of my favorite clients are DIY-minded business owners.

But I see this same pattern play out in marketing all the time.

When marketing is no one’s job, it rarely moves forward consistently.
Someone on the team enjoys taking photos or posting occasionally, but it’s not actually part of their role. That means marketing happens when there’s extra time, not with intention. Content gets created reactively. Images get captured without a plan for where they’ll be used.

Effort is happening. Progress usually isn’t.

DIY often leads to guessing instead of clarity.
Just like with the washer, business owners end up buying tools, software, or content they’re not fully sure they need. They hope this will be the thing that fixes it. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it doesn’t. And often, the real issue goes unnoticed.

Not having the right tools or experience slows everything down.
There is absolutely a place for behind-the-scenes photos and quick phone shots, especially for stories or day-to-day updates. I love that kind of content. But when you need marketing images that live on your website, represent your brand professionally, or get used for print and polished social media, close enough usually isn’t enough.

Professional branding photography is about more than a good camera. It’s about planning, lighting, direction, and creating images that actually work for your business long after the session is over.

DIY quietly steals time from what you do best.
The biggest cost is often time. Time spent troubleshooting marketing is time not spent serving clients, leading your team, or growing your business. You’re capable of doing a lot. That doesn’t mean you should do everything.

Why I Still Love the DIY Mindset

This isn’t an argument against trying. It’s an argument for knowing when to pivot.

The clients I love working with most are resourceful, thoughtful, and intentional. They’ve tried things. They understand their business. And then they decide to bring in help where it makes sense.

Just like we did with the washer.

We didn’t fail at DIY. We learned where it stopped being efficient. And once the right problem was identified, everything started working again.

I know her brand’s vision. Warm, cozy, home, worn, grounded…. like a nostalgic memory. She can send me product knowing I am going to give her a gallery full of images she can use today and keep in her evergreen library.

What Clarity Changes and How to Get Started

Once our washer was fixed, laundry went back to being background noise instead of a daily problem to solve. No more guessing. No more adjusting schedules. Things just worked.

That’s what clarity does in marketing.

Clarity means you know what you want to say, who you’re talking to, and how your images will actually be used. It turns marketing from a stress point into a system. When your visuals are planned with intention, they work harder for you across your website, social media, and print.

Clarity in marketing turns effort into momentum.

Getting started doesn’t mean starting over. It can be as simple as asking:

• What do I want people to understand about my business when they find me online?

• Where do I consistently need images and where am I scrambling?

• What would feel easier if I had the right support in place?

Clarity often comes from conversation. From stepping back and letting someone help you see what’s actually needed instead of guessing your way forward.

I still love the DIY spirit. But knowing when to bring in the right help can save time, money, and energy in the long run.

Just like our washer.

Professional branding photography works best when there’s a plan behind it.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start building marketing images that actually support your website, social media, and print needs, a branding consult is the place to start. We’ll focus on clarity, not overwhelm.