Marketing consultants and agencies seem to be ten a penny, don’t they? Whether they’re an individual freelancer or a large, big city agency. When you’ve reached the stage in your business when you need a helping hand with your marketing, selecting the right one for you can be tricky. So how can you hire a marketing consultant that you can put your faith in?
What do marketing consultants do?
There’s no straight answer to this as the variety of marketing consultant services is staggering. Some offer marketing strategies whilst others are digital marketing consultants that offer a whole raft of services from social media through to email marketing and blogging. I’d say, look for one who is going to make sure that any marketing efforts are worthwhile, will paint your business in the best light, whilst taking the marketing weight off your shoulders.
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How to hire a marketing consultant?
When it comes to finding someone that you can trust with your business, what should you ask a marketing consultant? Here are a few questions for you to ponder:
What services do I need?
Scope out what services you need for your business first. Is it help with social media, have you been winging it in one area, or do you need some drive to focus your marketing efforts? This will help when you start to research marketing consultants as you’ll be able to ask the right questions when you chat with them.
What makes them great?
What credentials has the marketing consultant got? Have they been working in marketing for years or are they new to it? Both have their merits! Do they have any qualifications to back up their experience? Can you read testimonials from other clients – and will they allow you to speak with them to ask about their experience with the consultant? If they say no, question why!
Do they understand your industry?
Have they knowledge of B2B or B2C marketing? How do they demonstrate this? Some may be small business marketing consultants, where others may have worked with large brands. If your big picture is to build a well-recognised brand, which of these would work best for you?
Will you get along?
Personality is important. Do they ‘get’ you and your business? Before you chat with them to find out, read their website and follow them on social media. Do they sound like someone you’d get along with?
What does their own marketing look like?
And when you’re looking at their social media and other marketing, does it look professional? Are they posting and communicating regularly? But not too regularly? If they’re posting too often, does this mean that they haven’t got enough to do for their clients or are they just super at marketing themselves?
Are they local?
Online meetings are fine, but there will be times when you want to meet up in person. I find that in person meetings with clients are far more productive. Hire a marketing consultant that is local to you or that is willing to travel.
Who will you be working with?
If you’re talking to a marketing consultancy or agency, is the person you’re speaking with going to be the one who delivers your marketing? If not, who will be? Can you get to know them? Are they employed or are they an associate? Can you trust that your business will be their main focus?
How much should I pay a marketing consultant?
There’s no one answer. It depends on your budget and their experience. A junior marketeer is clearly going to cost less than a marketing consultant who has 20 years’ experience. The hourly rate for a marketing consultant can vary massively. To find out if a marketing consultant is going to fit within your budget, look at their website and social media as they may have some prices detailed there. If they have an FAQ’s section on their website, you may also find some information in here.
Questions to ask when you hire a marketing consultant
There’s a lot of questions in this blog, but I hope that they will help you to find the right person to help your business to grow.
If you’d like to talk to me about how I can help put the fizz into your marketing, then please get in touch, I’d love to chat.
