What is a Marketing Consultant and what do they do?
What do marketing consultants really do? They help businesses define and reach their goals by providing a strategic plan or marketing plan, overseeing the execution, and monitoring progress.
A marketer is a niche business asset who can fill various roles as needed, and should be multidimensional in their skillset.
The responsibilities and skills of a marketing consultant can include any of the following:
Evaluating your current marketing plan or marketing strategies and identifying new opportunities for growth.
Customer acquisition - how to attract new customers and leads - this a key part of a marketing consultant's role
Improving your funnel - how to drive your click-through rate, conversion rate, how to land qualified leads, how to refine your sales process, etc.
Channel mix - auditing, suggesting and/or implementing recommendations to your marketing channels and channel mix - for example, email marketing, social media, search engine rankings and optimization, Google advertisements, content marketing and blog posts, etc.
Digital marketing and advertising - in a quickly changing world, a digital marketing strategy and skill set is crucial
Managing specific channels - for example, managing email marketing or content marketing which could entail coordinating your content marketing strategy across channels to support your goals & metrics
Brand Strategy - elevating your brand positioning and messaging to increase engagement and conversions with your target audience
Analyzing data - analyzing your current funnel & identifying opportunities for improvement
Marketing Automation - Setting up technical performance testing and tracking systems, analytics integrations, tracking pixels, CRM, email marketing campaigns, etc.
Marketing Budgeting - determining what it will take to execute your marketing plan and bring your marketing plan to life
Overall, think of them as an extension of your team - someone to lean on to augment your marketing efforts.
What skills should Marketing Consultants have?
The marketing world is constantly changing, particularly digital, so staying on top of trends and following the latest developments in your industry are necessary. But those aren't the only skills you need to have. You also need a blend of technical knowledge with behavioural expertise (think creative thinker meets data head). That's why it's important that potential consultants be well-rounded.
Being a successful marketer today requires more than just knowing how to write copy about products; there are a host of other things to know such as understanding all sorts of new technology (mar-tech).
Here are some key skills every marketer should embody:
Insights, trends & analytics - the ability to assess a market in short order, identify the "lay of the land" including competitive landscape, key consumer / business trends and opportunities. This includes bringing a fresh perspective on your market or niche
Consumer behaviour and customer psychology
Finding product/channel fit
Refining your target audience and target customers
High level social media marketing
Search engine marketing and search engine optimization
Reputation management and public relations
Brand strategy & brand management
Familiarity with analytics tools and mar-tech software
Soft skills should include a high EQ, ability to learn your business quickly and relate to your business challenges and target audience or target customers' pain points.
Good listening and the ability to process, problem-solving and innovation are also crucial.
The skill set of a consultant tends to be tightly correlated with their rate, so bear in mind that nine times of out ten, you get what you pay for!
Why should I hire a Marketing Consultant or Digital Marketing Consultant?
The short answer is they can help you grow your business regardless of its size or stage of process.
When you can't keep up with the changes in marketing, hiring a consultant is your best bet for success. As our world becomes more and more technologically advanced it's important to have someone who has experience navigating these new waters so that we don't get left behind.
A Marketing Consultant and/or Digital Marketing Consultant is able to help determine your target market, how to best communicate with them and where to reach them. They'll help craft your marketing strategy for both online and offline interactions with potential customers and execute it.
Marketing is a heavy field. It's not just about amplifying your marketing message, it takes someone with the know-how and experience to help you grow as a company or brand, not to mention an objective point of view.
Outsourcing your marketing also allow you - whether a business owner, founder, entrepreneur, VP or lead, to focus on what you do best.
When to hire a Marketing Consultant?
You know it's time to start looking for an external marketing consultant when you're at the tipping point in your business lifecycle, and need help defining the company vision and goals, creating a playbook to get there (that includes a powerful digital strategy) and/or even just revamping your branding strategy.
A traditional or digital marketing expert will help you construct a focused plan to get your business moving in the right direction.This might include:
Defining better success metrics, testing and tracking in order to reach your business goals
Improving relations and loyalty with existing clients
Improving conversion and executing growth hacking tactics
Without relevant experience, a business will struggle to break into new markets and attract new customers. A trusted marketing consultant with the right qualifications can help determine which market penetration strategy is best for your company's specific needs; they'll analyze the competition you're going up against and point out how well-equipped your company is at meeting your goals.
Employing a traditional or digital marketing consultant to steer your business's marketing and advertising efforts in a profitable direction is wise however the problem is - finding someone experienced and credible can be a challenge.
The market is flooded with self-proclaimed marketing agencies and advisers.
Choosing the right marketing consultant or digital marketing consultant has become an all too common hurdle.
Do your home work. Research, ask for references, actually talk with the references, ask for case studies, read reviews/posts and dig into their portfolio.
How much does it cost to hire a Marketing Consultant?
For a Marketing Consultant? Rates vary hugely by sector, discipline and based on their experience.
Rates for marketing consultants can vary from hourly to retainers to a fixed rate for a package of work. Hourly rates vary from $100/hour USD to $750/hour USD. What's becoming more common is value-based pricing where a value is assigned to a package of work and the client is charged a fixed rate.
A consultant's rate is a complex thing. It depends on their talent level, experience, the number of clients they have in their portfolio, not to mention other factors like education and geography.
For example, a digital marketing consultant who lives in a big city will charge more than one living out in the country - this is because the cost of managing a business varies.
When hiring a consultant, consider their experience. A marketing or digital marketing consulting firm will be cheaper if they have less practical knowledge and are just starting out.
Someone with less than five years of experience will cost far less than someone with 20 plus years' experience on both client and agency side.
Your requirements also factor into the equation. Each project or scope of work is different.
As you can see, there are a variety of factors that play into how much you'll pay to hire marketing consultants or a digital marketing consultant. To simplify, first and foremost, think about the value they'll be creating and ask yourself - am I going to get at least $2 out of every $1 I'm investing? If the answer is yes, press go!
Our expert marketing team hopes that this post has helped you better understand the benefits of hiring a marketing consultant or digital marketing consultant - from how a consultant can drive growth to what to expect.
Need help with your Marketing efforts?
Need help crafting your marketing plan or with your marketing efforts? Looking for a marketing consultant or digital marketing consultant? Or just have questions? Reach out at connect@lindsay-angelo.com or www.lindsay-angelo.com.
Source: www.lindsay-angelo.com
About the Author
Lindsay provides growth and marketing consulting services to purpose-driven brands. Named a global innovation leader, top conversational marketer and Women to Watch, you will find her at the intersection of strategy, story-telling and innovation. When she’s not collaborating with clients, she’s hitting TEDx and other stages across North America to deliver keynotes on the future of consumerism, strategy and innovation. Prior to advising and providing brand and marketing consulting services, Lindsay spent six years at lululemon crafting their global growth strategy, exploring new marketplace opportunities and growing the company into the number one yoga wear player in the world. Her experiences culminate in what she refers to as her sweet spot - where strategy, innovation and insights intersect, where the rational meets the emotive, where facts meet insights and where logic meets creativity.
