Is your small business struggling to make a success of your marketing campaigns? It could be time to outsource to a marketing consultant who will give your business the boost it needs to take success to the next level.
Here’s what to look for in a marketing consultant.
- Practical Experience
The first thing to look for in your marketing consultant is experience.
It’s all too easy to come across as an expert by spouting off marketing jargon and the latest buzzwords. But if the consultant struggles to understand your business and determine exactly what you need, you’re going to struggle to make an impact where it really counts – the profit margins.
Experience across an array of industries is a great sign that the consultant has the strategic know-how to give your business a boost.
Also ensure your marketing consultant has practical experience implementing marketing strategies. This is crucial if you want to take theoretical marketing techniques and turn them into profit-making successes.
- Understanding Digital Marketing
The person, or agency, you outsource your marketing to needs to understand digital marketing.
Today’s marketing is all about attracting customers, not chasing them. So a consultant with digital proficiency will be able to identify massive opportunities for your business and take it to new heights.
Your marketing consultant should have excellent knowledge of PPC, SEO and social media.
- Try Before You Buy
There’s a bit more to finding the perfect marketer than just finding someone with a couple of skills. The relationship you build with the person should be like a partnership and there needs to be chemistry between your business and marketing consultant.
So it’s important to see how your marketing consultant works and thinks before you commit to hiring them. Of course, the marketer isn’t going to give you everything for free, but a free consultation, at least, should offer you the opportunity to make sure you’re on the same page and that the consultant has the knowledge to carry through their claims.
During your consultation, look out for two things:
- Make sure the consultant “gets” your company and understands your product or service.
- Listen to a couple of their ideas to get a feel for how they think and how they approach marketing.
- Read Their Content
In these days of digital, good marketers will have an active blog along with some form of free online content, such as an ebook of marketing tips. Content is a brilliant way for a marketing consultant to generate leads. It also allows potential clients to get a good idea of their expertise and the way they make use of the tools at their disposal.
The marketers’ online content will show you how they approach all sorts of marketing aspects and give you the chance to gauge their understanding, familiarity and ability. You’ll also be able to pick up what they think about various marketing techniques.
Sign up to their email newsletter when you’re checking out their content. Emails are the ideal blend of content and sales copy, so you’ll get a look into their style.
- What Are Their Key Areas of Expertise?
Every marketer chooses to focus on different things, so they all have different areas of expertise. That’s why you need to have a clear idea of the types of skills you want in your marketing consultant before you hire one.
For example, you may want a marketer with a wide range of skills but who mainly focus on digital marketing and use tried and tested traditional methods to supplement the digital aspects.
Or, you might want a marketer with a much narrower field. It doesn’t make them any more or less able than those with a wider skill set, it just means you want someone who has specialized in a specific area.
Choosing a marketer who is an expert in your business’s marketing requirements means they are more likely to be a genuine authority in their chosen field. That’s going to be a lot more suitable for your business if you know exactly what area of marketing you would like to pursue.
But look at it the other way: a marketer with a wider skill set can put together a more holistic and complete strategy for your business if you don’t have a specific marketing aim in mind.
For a lot of small businesses, a wider knowledge base works best so you can use a bigger selection of marketing tools.
Does Your Business Need a Marketing Consultant?
Many small business owners get confused about what a marketing consultant can do for them. A consultant will put together a strategic marketing plan and help you implement it.
Rosy Marketing has several years of experience with creating brands that customers can emotionally connect to. Rosy will look at your vision and set about helping you create a valuable brand for your business.
To discuss your business’s marketing needs, book a free consultation today.
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