Choosing the right digital marketing consultant is a big decision for any small or medium enterprise. The commitment required from both sides to build a solid marketing platform requires patience to see the plan through. Choosing the wrong consultant can be very costly, wasting valuable time, while choosing correctly can be a the next best thing to a miracle.
Unlike work done by other contractors, digital marketing strategies rarely provide tangible results overnight. So what criteria can one use in choosing the right digital marketing expert?
6 Tips For Choosing the Right Digital Marketing Consultant
1. History counts. A good sales pitch detailing plans to make your company grow, fancy charts, and a healthy dose of charisma may get your attention, but a better measure of their abilities is the presence (or lack of!) their past successes. Inquire to find out what strategies they employed to achieve their results and don’t be afraid to ask for references.
2. Ask them directly what their strategy will be. Why do they think it will work for you? How will they monitor and report the progress to you? Their answers will let you know how much work they’ve put into a custom strategy for you. A well-prepared consultant will have all of these answers for you and more.
3. Who will be managing the campaigns? Will it be the consultant themselves or one of their employees? What are their qualifications and experience? It’s a mistake to assume that the person you’re talking to will be the person doing the job. Knowing who is ultimately responsible will allow you to make an informed decision on whether or not this is the right consultant for the job.
4. When can you expect to start seeing some results? Most marketing professionals will provide goal projections as part of their strategy presentation. Note that projections are really “best guesses”, and even the best marketing guru’s plans can get derailed by any number of unpredictable variables. That said, depending on your goals and metrics, they should be able to give you a reasonable time frame to work with.
5. Is their plan sustainable? It’s best to do some homework here and take the time to make sure that they’ve taken your short-term and long-term goals into account.
6. Know what’s expected from both parties. What resources does the consultant need to execute the marketing campaign and what role do you need to play in it? The responsibilities need to be spelled out in advance and the channels of communication must be open both ways as adjustments and decisions need to be made and reviewed on a regular basis.
Applying These Tips For The Win
Choosing the wrong digital marketing expert can be a drain on your finances and an exercise in futility, whereas the right person can open doors to a whole new world for your business and your customer’s experience. This challenging process can be made much easier if you ask the right questions, do your homework and know what to expect from this working partnership. By taking these 6 tips into account, you’ll be well on your way to hiring the right digital marketing consultant for your business.