As a busy SME business owner, how do you know if a marketing consultant is right for you?
If you recognise some of the following, it may be time to take the next step:
YOU WANT TO GROW the business but your marketing has become stale and it needs re-invigorating
YOU PERSONALLY HAVEN'T THE TIME or experience to figure out what needs addressing across your brand or marketing - the operational elements of the business are a constant focus and priority for you
YOU CAN'T COMMIT to hiring a full-time marketer nor have the budget to appoint an agency
YOU NEED THE FLEXIBILITY that a freelance resource can bring
YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEND more time on people management - you need senior expertise who can ‘hit the ground running’
What are the benefits of hiring a marketing consultant?
1. The breadth of experience
Marketing Consultants have generally worked with companies of all sizes and across different industries and sectors. The advantage to you is that they can bring this experience and insight into your business, adapting best practices and different approaches to find new opportunities for your enterprise. Personally, I’ve worked both agency and client-side, from automotive and construction, to artisan food products and the building & landscaping trade, meaning I can approach your challenges with a more holistic view.
2. A cost-effective (and flexible) resource
Take a minute to add up the costs of employing a member of staff, not to mention the time in advertising, recruiting and on-boarding. And that’s assuming you find the right fit for both the candidate and your business. By working with an experienced external consultant, there’s no taxes or holiday and sick pay. No pension contributions. No need to supply office space or things like laptops, phones etc. Whilst the hourly rate of a consultant will be more, you can dial-up or dial-down the time you need them accordingly to fit your budgets. For example, some of my clients only need me for a few hours a month, just to ensure the strategy and plans we put in place are on track; others need a couple of days a month; some need a day or two a week. Much of the time, as is the ‘new normal’, I am also very experienced in working remotely.
3. You get a marketing expert that’s easy to work with
Having had experience in this area I feel I’m well equipped to back this view up. Working with a single consultant - one point of contact - is much, much easier than bigger agencies. You’ve not been ‘sold the dream’ and end up with your account being passed to the junior member of the team who, no doubt, is capable, but can they add that value and steer you’re really looking for? Why is it you can rarely speak to the MD or Client Services Director who first got in touch?
Agencies also have overheads to pay as well as minimum fee rates, so I can be much more competitive on price for my clients and more adaptable to their needs. You can also rest assured that I will have a clear focus on your business objectives, and am solely responsible for supporting your marketing efforts. Whilst I have a network of great experts across PPC, SEO, social media, website design and build, and copywriting for example, I would still manage these relationships and briefings and be the sole conduit for your marketing success.
Like many others I contemplated what to call myself once I stepped off the corporate merry-go-round. The term Consultant had, in the past, to me always come across as an excuse to stick an extra zero on the end of any quote. Maybe it was my youthful naivety or perhaps I didn’t ever see the additional value they presented at the time. In reality, a consultant is defined as:
noun: A person who provides expert advice professionally.
So, several years later, here I am embracing the term as a marketer with over 18 years of experience. Determined to ensure my integrity is engrained in the offering I provide clients, and helping build their trust in my service.
If you think now might be the time to partner with a marketing expert, take a look at www.createdmarketing.com or drop me a line letstalkcreated@gmail.com / 07557 565524
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