Hiring A Marketing Consultant: What To Consider

In today’s competitive marketplace, business owners can no longer expect to be able to manage every aspect of their business themselves. Indeed, it’s considered intelligent to outsource particularly important functions to experts. Marketing is a case in point: every company today needs a solid marketing strategy in place, but this is by no means as easy to develop as you might think. There are now so many different techniques for marketing a business that it often requires a specialist in the field to do it properly. But what do you need to consider if you’re looking for a marketing consultant to get your company noticed by your target audience?

Identify Your Goals: Before you start interviewing any potential marketing consultants to hire, you need to decide exactly what you want to achieve. This way you will be able to communicate your needs effectively. For example, do you want to increase your visibility online; are you looking to break into new market sectors or do you want to expand your sales network further afield. As with any kind of service, different consultants will have different specialist skills so your needs will help to dictate who you choose.

Get Referrals: You will be able to find plenty of consultants in your area if you do an online search, but how do you know which are worth your time? The best thing to do, once you have a list of possibilities, is ask around your professional network to find out which ones people have used and which brought them real results. Word of mouth really means something in this field, so you should use it. You can try looking at online reviews as well, although it’s always best, when possible, to get the opinion of someone you know and trust.

Interviewing: Once you’ve completed the above steps you should have been able to compile a shortlist of at least three consultants. At this point you can make an appointment with each one to discuss your ideas for your business and find out how they could help you.

There are several points you should remember to bring up during these talks: what experience do they have in your particular field; what kind of strategy might they employ for you; and do they have any contacts with business networks that could be useful to you? You should ask them to describe their processes in a way that you can understand, and ask to see examples of previous projects they have worked on. They should be able to show you some concrete results that prove they have enhanced a company’s reputation or visibility.

Be Aware: Finally, you should know when it’s best to avoid a certain consultant. Anyone who makes you unrealistic promises or offers you a ‘foolproof’ strategy is not to be trusted. Any good consultant knows that successful marketing takes time to implement and not everything will work every time. You should also make sure that you discuss and confirm costs before you sign anything so you can be sure you are not going to be charged for any undisclosed ‘extras’ further down the line.

Time to Hire a Marketing Consultant?

Every company needs a sound online marketing strategy in order to keep pulling in the customers, but it can take time to develop this to a point where you are starting to see results. Many companies panic when success doesn’t come as quickly as they would like, and hire an internet marketing company for the wrong reasons. Bearing in mind that there are always going to be peaks and troughs in business, how do you know when your strategy just isn’t working and it’s time to bring in a marketing expert? Here we look at some signs that your company could perhaps benefit from some outside help.


Lack of perspective: When you try to do such a major job as marketing in-house, the danger can be that you start going round in circles and lose sight of the wider business context. If you feel this is happening then this is the time to bring in an outside perspective. Many companies hire in a consultant for just this reason. Sometimes you can struggle on for months, whereas the reasons you are failing might be immediately apparent to an outsider, who will then be able to help you start afresh with a new outlook. They will also have the vital in-depth knowledge of the latest marketing trends in the business world.

Large project to complete: Some companies, if they have a particularly important project on such as a major new product launch which goes beyond their internal expertise or resources, will hire in an internet marketing company as a temporary measure. Not every company needs or can afford a permanent marketing manager, but there are those times when a project is too important to be left to chance.

Lack of expertise: Many small business owners start off thinking they can do the marketing themselves and then realise it is a great deal more specialised than they had anticipated. You may have some idea how to publicise your products or carry out email marketing, but perhaps find the techniques to analyse website visitor data beyond your comprehension. Bringing in an internet marketing company to help you learn about the various methods and techniques out there will give your marketing strategy a more solid and professional base.

Negative feedback: Another sign that you may need the help of a marketing consultancy is if you are getting negative feedback from customers and the users of your site. This is why it’s important to encourage your customers to communicate with you via your website and offer constructive criticism. It’s an old cliché, but remember that the customer is always right – so if they say that you have to make some serious changes, either in the way your website is laid out of the way in which you are advertising your business, then you probably do.

Many companies hire a marketing consultant for the wrong reasons, so it's not something you should rush into. However there are certain signs to look out for which may indicate that you could benefit from some outside help.

Tips for Budding Marketing Consultants

If you want to be a marketing consultant, bear in mind that the competition for this kind of role is fierce. Marketing has always been a key part of any company’s business strategy, but this is even more the case today in a world where global communication is pretty well instant and we are constantly bombarded with advertising of every kind. To give yourself any chance of success, you should take certain steps from the very start of your career, whilst you are still training, to help differentiate you from the many others like you out there. 

For example:

Networking: Let’s face it, if you’re not the kind of person who is happy working a room full of people then marketing may not be the job for you. Marketing consultants have to be prepared to attend conferences, participate in web forums, go to industry-specific meet-ups and generally do everything they can to constantly renew their contacts and get their name out there. You’re aiming to become a go-to person for anybody in need of a marketing expert, so start making those important connections right away.

Specialise: If there is one sector in which you have particular interest or expertise, it may be a good idea to focus on winning clients there. Marketing consultants are far more effective if they have a deep knowledge of the kind of product or service they are helping to promote, and if you are more effective you will have satisfied clients who will be more likely to recommend you to others. Before you plunge in head-first, then, have a think about where you might like to specialise.

Personal SEO: Marketing consultants need to become adept at the various methods of using SEO to boost their clients’ website ranking, so why not start with your own name? This will hone your expertise in this area as well as getting your name out there as a consultant early on.

Get experience: Whilst some like to strike out on their own right away, most find it is better to begin their career by getting experience at a respected marketing firm. This way, if you do come to set up your own company you will already know which methods work and will be aware of the potential pitfalls to avoid. It will also give you the opportunity to gain valuable insight and industry advice from the managers or senior partners of the company.

Stay at the cutting edge: Technology and communication trends change so fast these days, so you should get into the habit early on of keeping informed of any new methodologies or tools. Ideally, you want to be in the know before your competitors, so read the trade press, subscribe to newsletters or read relevant blogs to keep you updated.

How an Outsourced Marketing Professional Can Help You Identify your Company's Marketing Problems

When you realize that something is wrong with your marketing efforts but are not sure what it is, an outsourced marketing consultant can help. As the owner of a small business, you are likely too close to the problem to accurately identify your marketing problems. Sometimes, it could be a simple fix while other times may require a major overhaul of your marketing ways. An outside perspective may be just what you need.

Problem Identification
Your salespeople may believe that your prices are too high while customers may not realize that you have multiple product or service lines. Maybe you feel that your business is not targeting the right demographics or geographical area. The first step in solving your marketing problems is identifying the cause. An outsourced marketing professional will bring the perspective you need to accurately identify the problem or problems.

A consultant will use consumer research, if there is any, to help identify the cause. However, they will also meet with you and your staff and perhaps even vendors and faithful customers to brainstorm so that the cause can be narrowed down. Typical causes include lack of brand recognition, market shrinkage, not enough employees to carry out marketing duties and loss of current customers. Your small business may not have a consistent marketing plan or even have one at all. Attracting the wrong customers, a lack of marketing presentation such as brochures or product flyers, and inability to communicate effectively with consumers are additional problems that can be resolved.

Problem Solving
Working together with you and your staff, along with input from vendors and faithful clients, the marketing consultant can pinpoint several key areas where improvements can be made. They will study other businesses in the same industry or niche to see what works for them and what does. With their overall marketing knowledge, a game plan can be created.

When a workable plan, with action steps is established, it will be easier for you and your company to follow through. This plan of action also is a good way to track your progress. When you employ a tactic that doesn't work, you can revisit the new marketing plan and tweak that particular actionable step.

The bottom line is that all too often, small business owners are simply too close to the problem to identify it. It takes the perspective of an outsourced marketing professional to bring the problem or problems to light. Without problem identification, you cannot develop an actionable plan to turn things around.

Small Business Marketing – The Advantages of Outsourcing

Thousands of small businesses are starting each year in the UK and if you are part of this crowd but want to get noticed, look into outsourcing your small business marketing. While you may have a great product or service and plenty of savvy, it takes a marketing professional to truly understand the nuances of your niche business to help you level the playing field. Outsourcing has its advantages including controlling costs, staying competitive and increasing market share. Keeping overhead down while competing for customers is important and if you try to do it all on your own, you will not be able to keep up.

Marketing Misunderstandings
Many new businesses are founded on a great idea or service but marketing isn't even on the owner's radar at start-up, but it should be. Preparing a business plan first is important because then you will see the importance and advantages of small business marketing. With marketing, it can be quite all-encompassing – design, production, packaging, public relations, promotions, customer service, sales, shipping and more. It is virtually impossible for a new business owner to be able to tackle all facets of this. Marketing should not be viewed as an afterthought but an important part of a profitable business plan.

Why Outsourcing?
Do you, as a new small business owner, have the marketing knowledge of your chosen industry? Do you know what your competition is doing? How about the latest trends or raising brand recognition? If you are scratching your head feeling befuddled, then you definitely need to outsource the marketing for your small business. Outsourced marketing professionals have the experience and expertise to help your small business be seen by the public and grow. They understand the industry marketplace, how to raise awareness of your product or service as well as develop name recognition for it.

Outsourcing allows your small business to address an important need without having to add anyone to your payroll. That means you get the expertise without the extra paperwork and expense of a new employee. Marketing is more than just throwing together a website and printing informational brochures and business cards. The first step to success is admitting that you do not have the know-how to design and implement a marketing plan. The second step to success is hiring an outside marketing consultant.

For your new business, it is important to keep costs low for the first few years while trying to get a foothold into your chosen industry. You can avoid costly mistakes from the get go by hiring a small business marketing consultant. With their help, you can effectively target the right customers.

Three Things a Small Business Marketing Consultant Can Teach You

As a small business owner, you need the right tools to succeed and the best way to get them is to hire a small business marketing consulting company. Sure, you may have some great ideas that got your business off the ground but you need the tools to float and eventually soar. As an owner, you have multiple responsibilities. You can remove one of them by hiring a consultant to keep your company's momentum going.

A Marketing Plan
Do you have a marketing plan actually written down with actionable steps and a timeline for completion? Many small business owners do not. Luckily, a marketing consultant can help with that. You have no hope of truly succeeding if you are flying by the seat of your pants when it comes to marketing your business. Eventually, something is going to fail because you did not have a real plan.

A marketing plan creates the foundation for actionable tasks. With a plan laid out in black and white, you will know the "whys" behind each action. Plus, if you bullet point or number the actions, the plan will not seem so daunting. You can take baby steps – one action at a time – or speed things up and accomplish several things at a time. And when business slows down, you will have a plan to revisit so that you can study which steps may be the problem so you can fix it.

Business Identification
So you hung out your shingle … does anyone know you are in business? Does the public even know what product or service you are offering? A small business marketing consultant can help you create a tagline and logo, part of the branding process, which will serve as your business identification to the public. By using your business's branding elements consistently, you can be easily identified within your industry's marketplace.

Targeting your Customers
Do you know how to get your business website to pop up at the top of the list when consumers go searching for a product like yours on an internet search engine? What about relaying key messages about your product or service? Can you do that effectively? Do you know how to create a sense of urgency or present calls to action in your advertising? How do you track your advertising and promotional efforts to determine whether they are even effective? As you can see, marketing is more than just putting up a website, handing our flyers or printing up business cards.

Marketing consultants can help you design your marketing plan and put it into action. They also will create a timeline and put an implementation plan into place so you can follow it. Hiring an outside small business marketing consultant with the knowledge and experience in your chosen industry is the key to a long and fruitful enterprise.

Marketing Consultants Represent Your Company

When working with marketing consultants it's important to remember that they represent your company. There are times when clients may come into contact with your marketing consultants, and you want your clients to have a positive experience when dealing with any of your extended workforce.

Choosing a consultant who knows how to market your business and help improve your company is just as important as choosing a consultant who know how to represent your company to clients. So how do you know which marketing consultant offers the best representation? By conducting interviews and discussing your business philosophy with different consultants, you can ensure that you work with a consultant that not only markets your business well but is a good face for your company.

The Right Type of Reflection

You want your consultants to reflect your business in a positive light. Most consultancy firms understand this and strive to provide service that markets your business and falls in line with your business philosophy. Remember that this person may take meetings with some of your clients in order to go over campaigns or ideas that directly affect your clients. If your company holds a certain standard of dress and professional attitude, you want to make sure that the consultancy holds to the same standards. You don't want someone showing up in jeans when everyone else is wearing a suit. The same is true if you're a more casual business. It works best to partner with a marketing firm that doesn't appear overly stuffy so your clients and employees don't feel uncomfortable when dealing with them directly.

Reflective Marketing Materials

Whilst you will probably approve most, if not all, marketing materials, there may be times where the marketing firm has free reign to design and implement their own marketing materials. Make sure that the consultants you work with understand your company image and the image you want to present to clients. You may require them to run all materials by you first.
With a clear understanding, you can rest assured that marketing materials created by the firm for your company will meet your standards and fit the image of your company.

It's also important that if any of your marketing staff give a presentation to clients or your employees that they take into consideration their audience. Public speaking isn't for everyone, not even those who make a living from helping people market their business. When hiring a firm, make sure the marketing consultants have the sorts of skills you need and request the one that you feel reflects your business model and objectives the best.

Marketing Consultancy Investment Can Actually Save You Money

In a time that’s famous for shrinking profit margins and companies that are unfortunately folding, too many companies take it out on their marketing budget out of fear and the urge to cut costs. But a marketing consultancy investment might be more important now than ever. In fact, the right strategy could mean that your investment provides a huge ROI. Marketing isn’t an expense that should be cut and in fact, it should be considered more of an investment than an expense. The right strategy and the right expert could result in your benefiting whilst your competitors are suffering. Why is a marketing budget vital? Companies need to market to customers during any economic conditions. Customers are still making buying decisions and if you’re in the right sort of business, your product should continue to have demand. If not, you can still thrive by expanding your product line with the right strategy. It’s important to continually deliver what your customers want otherwise they’ll forget about you. Provide value and you could strengthen their loyalty. Delivering the right message to your customers can result in retaining customers during difficult times, times when your competitors could be in wait or could be planning on swooping down to prey on them. If you’re not happy with your current position in your market niche, talk to your marketing company about it. If you’re not dealing with a marketing consultancy firm or if you’re not happy with the results you’re getting from the company you’re currently working with, consider partnering with a new company, one who can help you illustrate your value added proposition to your customers. A consultancy firm can help you analyse the existing market that you’re competing in so that you can make necessary adjustments to ride out economic storms. A consultant can look at your existing business structure and help you make subtle or drastic changes --- whatever is necessary to help you retain customers and grow your business. A firm with expertise in helping businesses succeed can help you find success in your existing market as well as tap into new markets. If you’re marketing online, an experienced company can help you to analyse, measure, and improve your online presence to increase traffic and conversion rates of traffic as well. Don’t make the mistake of cutting costs in the wrong area. Some expenses can be trimmed to save you money but cutting your marketing and advertising budget could ultimately cost you customers. Difficult times call for strategic measures and a marketing consultancy firm can help you turn your investment into a competitive advantage.

What Can A Marketing Consultant Help You With?

If you are considering hiring a marketing consultant to help with one or several aspects of your business, it may surprise you just how many areas a consultant can actually help you with. Some companies outsource all of their marketing needs to a company and some pick and choose specific campaigns or business areas to get help with. In any event, an expert consultant can help you grow and prosper in many different areas, such as some of the categories listed below. Design A marketing consultancy firm knows what sort of design elements will help you appeal to your audience as well as sell more. This applies to overall branding and to brochures and other printed material you hand out but it also applies as well to your organisation’s electronic design elements with your website and electronic adverts. Various elements of design will help you appeal to your customers and prospects and a marketing expert understands how to blend design, colours, fonts, and words to help you maximise your impact on your target audience whilst gaining brand identity. Public Relations Are you managing your reputation? What feelings are your customers left with in dealing with you? Public relations is a vital aspect of running a business. Relating to your public in the right way will help you acquire and retain customers. A consultant can help you develop a public relations strategy that utilises tools and resources that can help you succeed. SEO Paying attention to search engine optimisation is vital for any company looking to succeed in the 21st century. But you’re not an SEO expert. The thing is, SEO isn’t always easy for businesses to take advantage of. You need someone to help you optimise your website in both on-page and off-page so that you can attract the maximum amount of traffic for your marketing spend. SEO also allows you to get traffic with a small budget, versus pay-per-click internet marketing techniques, which can be more expensive. Growth Planning How do you plan to grow your business? A consultant can help you strategise so that not only can you grow but that you can grow sustainably. This can be achieved through uncovering new opportunities as well as cross-selling and repeat selling to existing customers. Hiring a marketing consultant to help you grow your business makes good business sense. There are experts that will help you reach your goals and who will offer guaranteed services that will help you immensely.

Do You Need a Business Consultant if You’re a Solopreneur?

If you’re thinking that only large corporations need a business consultant, think again. You might be surprised to learn that even a one man or one woman business could significantly benefit from business consulting. The reasonable cost and return on investment will probably surprise you! Small business owners, sometimes referred to as solopreneurs, believe that they need to be able to do it all. If you run your business on your own, you’ll be wearing many hats as an entrepreneur and as a result, you’ll often be in react mode. You’ll motor through each day doing what needs to be done. But how will you plan for the future? How can you proactively plan for growth when you’re flying by the seat of your trousers? A business consultant can help you. Some entrepreneurs that like to work alone are not thrilled with the prospect of someone coming in and telling them what they’re doing wrong. But a business consultant doesn’t work like that. A skilled consultant can help in a non-obtrusive way that doesn’t take over your business --- this can enhance your business according to your own desires and long term goals. An expert adviser can do a lot for a small business owner, on the business owner’s terms. What do business consultants do? A business consultant can do various things for you, such as: • Analyse your existing business infrastructure to help you make positive changes to procedures for productivity and profitability. This can help you find more time and make more money. What could be better than that? • Marketing and advertising services. A business consultant could help you gain more exposure with your target audience and become your outsourced marketing department. • Internet marketing services. Want to take advantage of the vast online audience that could be buying from you? A skilled consultant can help you get found online so you can make more sales. Sure, large companies need consultants but small businesses can benefit form consulting services as well. Working one on one with someone who has accumulated business experience in many areas could help you in a vast way. A consultant will listen to your concerns, find out what’s important to you as an entrepreneur, and come up with a plan that can work for you and do it on your terms. How do you choose a consultancy firm? Finding the right people to help you succeed isn’t always easy. There are some red flags that should set off warning bells for you, such as: • Companies or consultants that promise “the moon” super fast. • Companies that you can’t find background information about. • Companies who don’t offer guarantees. Signs that you’ve found a solid resource include: • Testimonials • A background you can investigate yourself (online and perhaps locally) • A guarantee about satisfaction • Flexible services that suit your specific needs. While most entrepreneurs like to keep a tight rein on their business, the possibilities, when you have someone like a skilled business consultant to help you, can result in your achievement of your goals and dreams much sooner.

Marketing Consultant Tip: Write a Sales Letter

Most marketing consultants will agree that a sales letter is a great way for a company to get their foot in the door of potential clients. A sales letter can serve as an introduction, or be used like a newsletter that announces new developments to current customers.

Many business owners are not confident in their writing ability. One way to get over this fear is to decide what you want to say. Verbalise it first, then a marketing consultant can take your ideas and put them on paper, or in the content of a web page or email message.

Here are some tips to help you get started with a sales letter for your company.

First Things First

Perhaps the most important parts of the sales letter are the subject line, greeting, and opening. These are the first three things a customer, or potential customer will see when they receive your message.

Think carefully about the subject line for an Email message. These days, so many people are inundated with spam they tend to pick and choose which messages even get opened. Make sure your subject line provokes immediate interest. Ensure that it states succinctly how the body of the message is going to benefit them. You might want to offer something discounted or even free in order to grab the reader’s attention.

The greeting should be personalised, if at all possible. A generic address is a sure way to sound amateur and immediately indicate to the reader that this is a form letter.

The opening of your letter comes next. If you are sending the sales letter via Email, remember that many people use the preview pane included in their Email program so they will see the header even if they don’t open the message. Again, the idea is to make it attention-getting and eye-catching. It is appropriate to use colour here and perhaps a simple graphic.

The Body

Once you’ve attracted a potential client’s attention, don’t lose it by making your sales letter a blatant pitch. Make it friendly, informal, and interesting. You might want to consider including a story from a satisfied customer as a way to keep the recipient reading on. This also shows them how your product or service can benefit them.

Keep the text simple. Avoid using long or complex sentences or big words; neither do you want to use industry-specific jargon that might not be understood. Your sales letter needs to be easy and quick to read.

The Ending

The last paragraph should include a short summary of the content of the sales letter. Always include a “call to action”. Ensure there is a link to your website and all forms of contact, from telephone number to Email address to physical address. You do not want to make it hard for potential clients to get hold of you. Put your name at the end so it is apparent the letter is coming from an actual person.

You may want to consider including a printable coupon, or a link to a discount offer. This is a direct call to action which should result in furthering the reader’s interest. If you are mailing the letter, include a coupon or brochure that the recipient can keep.

Remember that a marketing consultant can help you with this process. If you’ve already spent too much time writing and rewriting and are still not satisfied with your sales letter, then call a professional for help. Marketing consultants can also be of benefit by obtaining mailing lists and sending out the professional sales letter in a manner that will be most effective for your business.

Cheap Business Marketing: Blogging

Does your business marketing plan include blogging as part of your initiatives? If it does not, then you may be missing out on one of the easiest, cheapest ways of marketing your products or services.
Blogging (derived from the words “web log”) is quickly becoming the most preferred form of marketing for any variety of businesses.
Why Blogging Works
You might wonder why or how it can be so successful yet cost so little as far as time and money.
The answer is that blogging provides a means of social interaction with a customer you will never see face to face – the online shopper. These days, more and more consumers buy their products, and even services, from the internet. They are savvy computer users and know how to find what they want or need on the World Wide Web.
The only way a business can effectively reach them is to provide content on the internet that consumers will want to read. This is a very basic, simple concept. And it works.
What to Post
Your blog is like a sales brochure. But beware writing content that appears like a blatant sales pitch. Most people will shy away from anything overtly pushy.
In that same regard, ensure that your blogging site is professional. Do not use flashing stars or other over-the-top flash animation graphics. Your blog should reflect your brand, as outlined in your business marketing plan.
Decide where you will post your content. You have a couple options. You can create your own blog as a page on your website, or you can join a social networking site and update blog posts there. The best business marketing approach combines these two options and ensures you will reach the maximum number of possible customers. There will certainly be at least one social networking site that attracts your target market.
Give consumers information they want, or need. For instance, if your company sells lawn care products, then perhaps your blog posts could revolve around topics like when to plant grass and how to easily maintain it. In this way, you are giving out free advice, but also promoting your products in a subtle manner.
This is also a key component in ensuring that visitors come back time and again. You must post content regularly so that consumers can expect to find new and useful information often.
Blogging is a great business marketing tool. It costs only the initial annual fee to purchase the URL (do not utilise a free blogging account), and then time to create and post the content. What you receive in return will be increased interest, qualified sales leads, and hopefully, an increase in sales.