Whether you are trying to grow your business or prepare it for the post pandemic future your marketing and share of voice are more crucial than ever. Working with a marketing consultant can transform your strategy and help your business talk to customers and prospects in a consistent and compelling way.
If you’re reading this blog and any of these points resonate then it’s time to consider how much value a marketing consultant can deliver for you.
1. You need a plan and a structure to drive your business forward
You know you need to kick start your promotion or take your marketing to the next level but you don’t know where to begin. You have the growth plans and lots of ideas but need help to articulate them. You’re too busy to give it the focus but you need to take action. In just a few hours a marketing consultant can help you:
• Understand and know your customer
• Identify your business USP
• Develop a set of key messages that will attract and engage new customers
• Identify ways to significantly increase your revenue.
We have your business goals in the front of our minds and marketing consultants are focused on commercial factors and driven by results and data. Developing a well-researched and measurable marketing plan for clients is second nature to us and many of us have created strategies for all sizes of businesses.
If you want to strengthen your team or processes a marketing consultant help you make an objective assessment of your current set up and suggest improvements. Consultants know from working with many different clients what will work best and those with a specialism in your industry will also know what your competition does well too.
2. You don’t have the expertise you need in-house
Sam from Accounts is young and has a social media presence so it will be tempting to delegate the marketing to him. You might assume that now everything is digital he can hold the fort.
The issue with this is expertise – marketing is not just about doing a bit of social. Does Sam know who he’s targeting with those social messages and what makes them tick? Can he interpret the data to help you develop better engagement with these customers? Does he know how to he help you develop your uniqueness as a business and turn it into a winning strategy? Can he link you up with a network of professionals who will help you to promote yourself in the right possible way?
I am not saying that Sam shouldn’t or couldn’t be involved. If he has an interest or a passion in helping your company shine, then a consultant could help him develop into the marketer you need. I started life as an administrator and joined a marketing team from there and the people who I have worked with shaped my career including consultants.
3. You need all hands on deck for a short-term project
It’s OK to ask for help but at the moment recruiting an extra FTE may be a financial stretch. You can see what is happening to your marketing team who are working extra hours and pushing their wellbeing to the limit. It’s time to hire a marketing consultant.
There are many of us who have a varied skill set across the marketing disciplines and can roll up their sleeves and get stuck in. We don’t need an induction and our skills are transferable, so we are an immediate remedy.
Have a campaign to deliver – give us the plan and we’ll crack on.
Need an interim team manager whilst the other one gets better after having their appendix out? Then give us a call.
More often than not we can start immediately, provide the right number of hours to suit your need and once the project is over, we move on and you don’t have to worry about letting us go.
Those are the more hands-on aspects of what we can do but there’s a strategic aspect too. Sometimes you may need someone to come into your business and give a fresh perspective. You hire agencies and that’s essentially what we are. If you are a lone marketer who needs a bit of back-up, a consultant can provide advice and guidance without agenda.
4. You have a big idea that you don’t know how to get to market yet
Many consultants will have experience of getting a business, product or service off the ground and out into the marketplace. We’ve done it with our own businesses so we know the pain that business can face when they are ready to launch their idea. By hiring a consultant, you have someone to help you build that launch strategy and support you to implement it.
We come with ideas and experience but also an extensive network. For a product launch you need not only a marketing consultant but PR support and graphic design. We will work with you to understand your target audience and determine the best way to amplify your hard work. We can then assemble a team of the best marketing and communications people in the business to help drive your launch and stay around for as long as you need afterwards. A temporary marketing team to help you get yourself out there and in the market.
5. And most importantly…. a marketing consultant is great value for money!
Marketing consultants don’t cost as much as you think and we’re always worth the investment. There are marketing consultants and freelancers at every level with a price point or package to match your budget. A good consultant will always be upfront about their costs and should expect to get a good return on your investment whether your goals are short or long term.
You don’t have to worry about the permanent employee costs such as:
• National Insurance contributions
• Pension
• Bonus schemes
• Holidays
• Maternity cover
• Healthcare
• Advertising for recruiting the position
• Induction
• Training
• Payroll admin costs.
We work the hours you need so if you can afford a day a week, we will do that and tailor our response to your brief. We are reasonably expendable too. If you don’t need us anymore, you can give us some notice and we’ll be on our way. No severance packages. No golden handshake. It would be great to have a testimonial though!
Now you have your reasons to hire a marketing consultant make sure you consider these things…
You’ve read this far, and you know you need some marketing help. Here are some things to consider when you bring someone in:
• Be clear on budget. A consultant will want to be sure what budget they have to work with in addition to their fees
• Be realistic. Marketing is a process of getting your business from A to B and then on to C. If you are expecting overnight results then you will be disappointed, and no consultant should promise you that. Trust the consultant – they know what they are doing and they will manage your expectations
• Choose wisely – it’s not just about cost. Make sure you speak to the consultant beforehand (most of us do a discovery call) and see if you want to work with us. This goes for the consultant too. Make sure you want to work with each other as this will drive the best outcomes.
• Be open minded. A consultant will be honest about your business but only because they want the best for you. There may be suggestions that push you and your business out of your comfort zone. Be prepared to test new ideas and learn from them to make your marketing flourish.
If you think you need some help with your marketing then book a free 30 minute, no obligation consultancy session, leave a comment below or get in touch on 07732 805091
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