It’s a common problem for growing companies and has become increasingly common with the rising importance of digital marketing.
Between your website, SEO, paid advertising, social media, content marketing, etc. — it can be difficult to make sure that you have all of your bases covered and have a coherent strategy in place.
It’s just a lot for small and mid-sized companies to navigate. Even if you have an in-house marketing team, the chances that you have talent with experience in all of the digital marketing disciplines is going to be slim.
In those situations, you may want to consider investing in a marketing consultant.
A marketing consultant is a skilled professional who has an understanding of what motivates consumers to make purchases and how to put strategies into place that will help them to improve their business.
In short, a marketing consultant is an expert in their field that makes their expertise available to companies for a set cost — sometimes per hour, sometimes on a monthly retainer.
They use modern analytics, tools, and KPIs to monitor and optimize their activities to ensure that their clients are getting the best possible return on their marketing budget.
A marketing consultant should be able to be flexible in dealing with all situations. They may help companies to build their marketing strategy from the ground up.
They may have to work with existing in-house marketing teams and make their strategies mesh with your current setup.
In terms of digital marketing, a consultant should have a wide-ranging skill set across multiple channels.
They can also specialize in a channel or strategy but should have a deep understanding of how that channel will mesh with the other strategies that your company is currently employing.
In the past, consultants basically made recommendations, and it was agencies that handled all of the creative work and fulfillment.
The rise of digital marketing has made way for several different types of consultants. The type that you choose to work with will depend upon your company’s needs.
There are three main styles of engagements with consultants: do it yourself, done-with-you, and done-for-you consulting.
Here’s what we mean when we say this:
The right type of engagement will depend on what you are looking for out of your relationship with a marketing consultant.
If you already have a team and strategies in place, the “do-it-yourself” option might be the most appealing.
If you are just getting started and don’t have prior experience in marketing, “done-for-you” engagements are probably the better option.
Source: Nathan Allotey
If you’re not sure whether or not a marketing consultant is the right investment for your company, there are a few key signs that you should look for.
If you find these to be true, it may be time to look toward hiring one.
1. You Don't Have a Defined Strategy
If you feel like you are constantly floating from one strategy or tactic to another, with no connecting thread that holds your marketing operations together, you are a great candidate for a consultant.
A marketing consultant can help you take your ill-defined marketing tactics and bring them together into one cohesive strategy.
2. You Are Doing Everything By Hand
One area where modern marketing consultants shine is in their understanding of marketing automation. If you are still sending out emails to customers and clients by hand, it may be time for you to invest in a marketing consultant.
They can help you to refine your process and implement personalized marketing automation where it makes sense within your customer lifecycle, creating better customer experiences.
3. Your Growth Has Stalled
Maybe you have reached your ceiling. Your team might be great at what they do, but when growth stalls it may be time to spread out to new channels and take a broader approach to how you handle marketing.
If you haven’t seen significant growth for quite some time, even just a discussion with a consultant can help you to open your eyes to
Source: JustPositionIt
4. You Have Low Quality Leads
If you find that only low quality leads are entering your pipeline, it is probably time that you shake things up in the marketing department.
A marketing consultant not only identifies ways for your business to generate more leads, they also help you to improve the quality of the leads that you do bring in.
This leads to more sales, more growth, and a more reliable pipeline of consistent leads.
5. There Are Gaps in Your Strategy
Even if your marketing is effective, there may still be room for a consultant. They may specialize in a strategy that your team does not have experience in.
They might help you to expand the marketing channels that you include in your marketing strategy or identify complementary tactics that you can use to improve the effectiveness of your current strategies.
Interested in learning more about how RiseFuel can help you improve your marketing efficiency?
Click here to schedule a meeting with Tony today.