Hiring a Marketing Consultant

Are sales not where you expect them to be? Is your current internal marketing team underperforming? Maybe you pay an agency $5000 a month but it feels like you are throwing your money away. If any of these apply to you, read our thoughts about marketing consultants and, if you like what you read, give us a call.

Qualities of Effective Marketing Consultants

‍When you’re ready to take your Calgary business’ marketing to the next level, it’s time to bring in outside help. The best marketing consultants are like a Swiss army knife: they have many specialized tools that they can use in almost any situation. Let’s face it: your business probably doesn’t have the funds or expertise to develop award-winning marketing campaigns, create brilliant logos, or come up with new and innovative ways to market your company. But fortunately for you, there are expert marketers out there who have all of these skills – and more – at their fingertips.

Before you read any further, a marketing consultant is not a freelancer you found on Kijiji who’s going to design your logo for $50. A marketing consultant is an outside marketing expert who will develop your marketing plan from the 10,000 foot view all the way down to the tiny details like exactly how to write great PPC ads or negotiate a booth at a trade show and what should go on at that booth.  Also, not every marketing agency is even capable of offering high quality consulting – some are just website designers in disguise.

What to Look for in a Good Marketing Consultant

There are many people who call themselves marketing consultants – but not all of them are truly qualified to do the job. A truly great marketing consultant will have the following qualities:

• Experience: The most important quality in a marketing consultant is experience. Ideally, you want to work with a company that has extensive experience in your particular industry. Buyer beware – 99% of marketers lack a strong foundation in marketing, they just call themselves marketers. So someone with 10 years of industry experience industry is not going to be as good as a properly trained marketer with similar but not the same industry experience.  
• Vast knowledge: A marketing consultant who has vast knowledge of and experience with various marketing strategies and tactics is essential. This includes knowledge of print, website design, social media, search engine optimization, email, and other forms of marketing. They should also know what has worked in the past and what new trends are emerging.
• A creative and strategic approach: All good marketers have a creative and strategic approach to marketing. They know how and when to be creative – and when to be strategic.

10 Qualities of Great Marketing Consultants

If you want to work with a great marketing consultant, you should look for one who has the following qualities:

1. Creativity – The ability to come up with new and innovative ideas.
2. Resourcefulness – The ability to find solutions to problems with limited resources.
3. Strategic thinking – The ability to stay focused on achieving business goals.
4. A “can do” attitude – A positive and optimistic approach, even in difficult situations.
5. Curiosity – The desire to learn new things and keep up with new trends in the industry.
6. Humility – A willingness to learn from others and admit mistakes.
7. Communication skills – The ability to clearly and effectively communicate ideas to others.
8. Business acumen – A knowledge of how businesses work and how to achieve desired outcomes.
9. The ability to work well with others – All members of a team play an essential role.
10. Honesty and integrity – You want to work with someone you can trust. 

5 Missteps When Hiring a Marketing Consultant

There are a few missteps that you want to avoid when hiring a marketing consultant. These include:

• Bringing in a “one size fits all” consultant. Marketing is specific to each business, so you want to work with a consultant who specializes in your particular field and industry. The same warning applies here, most often, the person whom you think is a qualified market is not a professional marketer; they’re just doing marketing as a job.
• Bringing in a consultant who is too advanced for your business. While it’s great to work with the best, you don’t want to overwhelmed with your consultant. A good consultant should recognize this before you do.
• Thinking that marketing is “set it and forget it.” Good marketing is an on-going process that needs to be monitored and fine-tuned as your business grows and changes.
• Not setting clear goals and expectations up front. This is important in any business relationship – and essential with marketing consultants.
• Expecting a quick fix. Marketing isn’t a quick fix – it’s a long-term strategy that must be monitored and adjusted as needed.

4 Tips for Working With a Marketing Consultant

Before you hire a marketing consultant, make sure you’re ready to work with one. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of this relationship:

1. Be open-minded. You might have your own ideas about how to proceed with marketing – and that’s fine. But be open-minded about other ideas as well.
2. Be ready to commit to the process. Marketing is an on-going process that needs to be monitored and adjusted regularly. Be ready to commit the time and energy required to make it work.
3. Be ready to invest. While marketing can be extremely valuable for your business, it’s not free. Make sure you’re willing to invest in marketing before hiring a consultant.
4. Be ready to take risks. While following your consultant’s recommendations is important, you also have to be willing to take some risks and make changes when necessary.

Marketing is one of the most important aspects of any business. And yet, it’s often an area that’s neglected or done haphazardly. Hiring a marketing consultant can help you to correct this problem and bring new life to your marketing efforts. When you’re ready to take your marketing to the next level, it’s time to bring in outside help.