A good shortcut is hiring from high fame startups. Not foolproof, but marketing people at uber outclass the average marketing person that might answer an ad.
Another shortcut is ask other business owners who are similar to you. Hopefully you have a small network or community. If you don't, it's worth finding 2-3 people who run businesses similar to yours to regularly connect with.
You might not even need to find a marketing "person" - there are agencies that do full service. You can talk to a few, listen to the pitch, and ask them for references. Few people do this, but you can and should, and its a great way to meet other business owners like you.
If you do not understand what a marketing or advertising professional is telling you and you ask them to explain it further and it still does not make sense—lots of jargon, buzz words, and “secret sauce”—do not hire that person.
There is nothing in marketing that is so conceptually difficult to understand that it cannot be explained at a high-level to a lay person. If they do not explain it well they either A. Do not understand it well themselves, or B. Do not want you to understand it.
Also be wary of big promises up front. No one can actually promise XX% increase or XXX more leads without having advertised your specific product before. They might be able to provide a general estimate based on past experiences, but that is it.
Another shortcut is ask other business owners who are similar to you. Hopefully you have a small network or community. If you don't, it's worth finding 2-3 people who run businesses similar to yours to regularly connect with.
You might not even need to find a marketing "person" - there are agencies that do full service. You can talk to a few, listen to the pitch, and ask them for references. Few people do this, but you can and should, and its a great way to meet other business owners like you.