What to Look for in a Small Business Marketing Consultant

Before diving into what traits make a great small business marketing consultant, let’s consider why you need one in the first place.

OK, I know what you’re thinking, “My business doesn’t have enough money to take on more help.”

Or, maybe, you’re saying to yourself, “I just don’t think a digital marketing strategy will help my business.”

However, if your thought process is anywhere along these lines, you’re heading down a slippery slope.

The simple truth is that small businesses today need an effective digital marketing strategy. Online marketing plays a HUGE role in determining your company’s success. What’s more, your online image can make or break your business.

So, whether you’ve hit a snag drumming up new business from the internet, you want to launch a new product, you just need minor coaching, or your company, flat-out, has no direction— hiring a digital marketing consultant is the perfect option for you.

That said, let’s take a look at some key factors and traits you should take into account when choosing the best marketing consultant for your small business.

1. Focus/Skill-Set
   Determining the focus, or skill-set, of any marketing specialist, is crucial. After all, you wouldn’t take your broken vacuum to an auto-mechanic, right? So, why would you take your small business to a consultant who specializes in large enterprises
   
   Your consultant needs to have real experience dealing with small businesses. For instance, you might think hiring a corporate consultant is best because they seem more seasoned. However, marketing specialists in the corporate arena may be less than understanding about the needs of a small business. Not to mention, those who are not experts in the digital marketing of small businesses might not recognize certain limitations, which are absent in big business. There are tons of digital marketing techniques and strategies, so it’s essential to pick a strategist who can meet your needs.

2. Experience
   In today’s day in age, finding a digital marketing advisor with substantial experience can be tricky. Especially since the tech industry creates such a young workforce. Your marketing consultant should be able to navigate the most difficult obstacles in your market segment. Not only that, your marketing specialist needs to have the track record to back-up their claims. If a consultant or agency is just starting out or can’t verify their claims, they’re, most likely, not the best fit to help you reach your goals.

3. Authenticity/Trust
   One vital trait you want in a small business marketing consultant is authenticity. All too often I see other marketing consultants and agencies offer the world, but don’t deliver. It’s important to remember that marketing consultants are highly specialized.
   
   By the same token, these consultants and agencies are usually only concerned with getting your money. Not only is it essential your marketing strategist is straightforward about their services, but it’s also critical they care about your business.

4. Creativity
   A significant part of a digital marketing consultant’s duty is coming up with creative solutions to your eCommerce problems. At the same time, your marketing consultant should be able to teach you new ways to integrate modern technology and online industry standards into your business plan.

5. Connectivity
   It’s not enough to find someone with experience or creativity if they don’t understand your business. It’s important to choose a marketing specialist who truly understands what you want to get out of your business. Equally important is selecting a consultant who knows your target audience. I mean, how is someone going to help you if he or she is completely uneducated about the needs of your core market?

6. Reliability
   To develop an effective marketing strategy, you need a reliable resource who’s available when you need them most. Similarly, it’s not enough for a small business marketing consultant to merely tell you how to market your business on the web. They should be at your disposal from the early stages of brainstorming through implementation. Detachment from clients by marketing consultants and agencies can be seen a lot these days. So, make sure you find a marketing consultant who is willing to go the whole-nine-yards with you and your business.

7. Results
   You need a strategist who can produce. In other words, someone who can make you money. Not only will your business benefit from a marketing consultant who delivers, but, more importantly, it’s also advantageous to your bottom-line.

In the end, you want to find a small business marketing consultant you can trust. I started out in consulting with businesses about their marketing strategy nearly a decade ago. Coming from an area where small businesses are a cornerstone of the community, I hate to see owners get taken advantage of.

More so, I can’t stand to see these large companies charge an arm and a leg for services that you could, in all honesty, do yourself, perhaps even better. Shoot me a note, and we can chat more about what might be the right fit for your business