Marketing consulting: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What marketing consulting is

A marketing consultant reviews your business, your audience and your current efforts, then builds a marketing plan with priorities, channels, messaging and ways to measure results. Businesses hire consultants when they are spending on marketing without a clear plan, or when they need a fresh view of what to focus on.

Signs you need it

  • You are spending money on several marketing channels and cannot say which ones bring in customers
  • Your messages change from one campaign to the next, and customers do not know what you offer
  • You are launching a new product, location or service and need a plan for reaching the right people
  • Your sales are flat, and you do not know whether the problem is the message, the audience or the channel
  • Your team is doing marketing work without a plan, and priorities keep changing

What the pro does

  • Review your business goals, your current marketing, your sales data and any tracking you already have
  • Learn about your customers and how they find and choose businesses like yours
  • Review your main competitors and the channels they use
  • Set priorities, the channels to focus on and the messages to use for each audience
  • Build a plan with the actions, the owners, the budget you can afford and the measures to track
  • Review the results with you on a schedule and adjust the plan as the data comes in

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • The size and complexity of the business and the number of products or services
  • How many channels the plan must cover, such as search, social, email and events
  • Whether the consultant only plans, or also helps set up tracking and manage campaigns
  • How much research is needed about your customers and competitors
  • The number of review meetings and how often you want check ins
  • Whether the plan must cover a launch or a long term strategy

What a written quote should spell out

  • The scope of the review, the channels covered and the research included
  • The deliverables, such as a written plan, a measurement plan and a calendar of actions
  • The number of review meetings, their dates and who attends
  • Whether the consultant helps carry out the plan, and what you must do yourself
  • How the consultant handles your sales data and customer information

Questions to ask before you hire

  • What businesses like mine have you built plans for, and what did those plans focus on?
  • How will you decide which channels to recommend?
  • What measures will we use to tell whether the plan is working?
  • Will you help set up tracking so we can see which efforts bring in customers?
  • What will you need from my team, and how much time will it take?
  • Will you tell me when a channel is not worth the spending?

Red flags

  • Promises specific sales growth or a set ranking in search results
  • Recommends the same plan for every business without asking about yours
  • Will not explain how the plan will be measured
  • Asks for a large upfront payment before any review of your business

What you can do yourself

You can list your customers, the channels where you find them, the message you want them to hear and the numbers you track each month. Hire a marketing consultant when you are spending on several channels without knowing which work, when you are launching something new or when your team needs a plan they can follow.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required for marketing consulting. Ask for examples of past plans with the client details removed, references and a written description of how results will be measured; check with your state or local business licensing office if the consultant operates as a registered business.

Marketing consulting questions

How long does a marketing plan take to build?

It depends on the research and the number of channels. Ask for a timeline with the review dates and the day you will receive the written plan.

Will a plan guarantee more customers?

No honest consultant can guarantee results. A good plan sets clear measures and shows how you will know whether the work is paying off.

Do I need to hire the consultant to carry out the plan?

No. Some consultants only plan and some also run the campaigns. Decide which you need before you sign, and get the scope in writing.

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