Last Updated on March 31, 2022 by Anthony Ejefoh

Marketing consultants are professionals who help businesses with their marketing efforts. They can provide advice on marketing campaigns, help create marketing plans, and offer guidance on best-reaching customers. If you’re looking for help with your marketing efforts, a marketing consultant may be the right option for you.

A good marketing consultant will have a lot of experience and knowledge in marketing and will help companies make the most of their resources and achieve the best results. They can be an invaluable asset for businesses looking to improve their marketing performance.

Before hiring a marketing consultant, be sure to ask for references and samples of their work. You’ll also want to get an estimate of the project’s total cost, including any additional fees for services such as design or implementation.

Once you’ve found a marketing consultant you’re comfortable with, you can begin working together to create a successful marketing plan for your business.

Typical responsibilities contracted to a marketing consultant:

When choosing a marketing consultant, it’s important to consider their experience and expertise. You’ll also want to ask for references from past clients to get an idea of their work style and results.

• Researching and analyzing marketing trends
• Identifying target markets
• Developing marketing strategies
• Planning and executing marketing campaigns
• Evaluating marketing effectiveness
• Managing budgets
• Create a strategic marketing plan that aims to achieve business results
• Assist in the management of a marketing research project
• Find new customers by identifying opportunities
• Implement a customer retention strategy
• Website design or re-design project
• Copywriting for websites, brochures, and advertisements
• Search engine optimization for your website
• Marketing collateral can be designed, such as flyers, brochures, business cards, and signage.
• Designing an advertising campaign
• Constructing a sales funnel
• Customer satisfaction research
• Start a direct marketing campaign
• Track and launch an advertising campaign
• Assist in creating a company’s brand, rebrand, or branding to promote a company’s products, events, or internal communications projects.
• Public relations campaigns using PR
• Expand your reach into new markets, countries, and international markets
• Launch a new product/service
• Know your competition and what threats are in your market
• A branding strategy can help you differentiate your brand
• To provide a better customer experience, strengthen internal communications directed at employees
• Implement digital strategy and content strategy.
• Stabilize a company’s culture by focusing on its core values or internal communications.
• Assist the human resource department in coordinating their recruitment branding with marketing efforts for future employees

A Marketing Consultant’s Expertise

Marketing consultants may have also worked in other industries, giving them unique insight into a specific product or service market. These include:

Retail Marketing: Retail marketing is a process that helps store brands reach their target consumers through various marketing channels. A marketing consultant with experience in retail can provide insights on how to better connect with customers and increase sales.

BtoB Marketing: Business-to-business marketing, or BtoB marketing, involves selling products or services from one business to another. A marketing consultant who has worked in BtoB marketing will have expertise in creating campaigns that target other businesses.

Industrial Marketing: Industrial marketing, also known as BtoI marketing, sells products or services from one business to another within the same industry. An industrial marketing consultant will have experience working with companies to create campaigns that effectively market their products or services to other businesses in the same industry.

How to Become a Marketing Consultant

If you’re interested in becoming a marketing consultant, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

First, marketing consultants need to have a deep understanding of marketing concepts and principles.

Develop your skills in communication and analysis. These skills will help you be successful as a marketing consultant. They should also be excellent communicators and have strong people skills.

Finally, they should have experience working with different businesses in different industries. If you have all of these qualities, you may be well-suited for a career as a marketing consultant.

1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree – Although a degree is not required to become a marketing consultant, most companies/Businesses prefer to hire candidates with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field. There are also marketing consultant certification programs available, which can be helpful if you want to become certified.
2. Apply for Entry-Level Positions or Internships: Many marketing consulting firms offer entry-level positions or internships for recent college graduates. These programs allow the opportunity to learn about the marketing consulting industry and experience working with clients.
3. Acquire Skills and Gain Experience: Besides formal education, marketing consultants should possess strong communication, research, and writing skills. They should also have experience working with different marketing tools and software.
4. Find Freelance Jobs or Work for an Agency: Many marketing consultants are self-employed and work as freelancers. Others find employment with marketing agencies or firms. 
5. Start Your Own Business – Many marketing consultants start their businesses. This can be a great option if you have experience in marketing and are looking for more control over your career.
6. Work for a Consulting Firm – If you don’t want to start your own business, you can also work for a consulting firm. This can be a good option if you’re getting experience working with different clients and industries. 
7. Pursue Certification – Marketing consultant certification can make you more attractive to potential clients and employers. The most popular marketing consultant certification is the Certified Marketing Consultant (CMC) designation from the Institute for Consulting Excellence & Development (ICED).

What Are The Types of Marketing Consultants?

There are many different types of marketing consultants, each with its areas of expertise. Some marketing consultants may focus on online marketing, while others specialize in traditional marketing techniques such as print ads or direct mail. It’s important to find a marketing consultant who has experience in the type of marketing you’re interested in. Some common types include:

1. Brand Consultants: Brand consultants help businesses develop and maintain a strong brand identity. They may also offer advice on marketing strategies and campaigns that can help promote the brand.
2. Communications consultants: Communications consultants help businesses develop and implement effective communications strategies. This may include creating marketing materials, such as brochures and website content, and managing media relations.
3. Research consultants: Research consultants conduct market research to help businesses understand their customers and target markets. This information can be used to create marketing plans and strategies.
4. Social media consultants: Social media consultants help businesses use social media to reach their target audiences. They may offer advice on which platforms to use, how to create engaging content, and how to measure the success of social media campaigns.

When to Hire a Marketing Consultant

There are several situations when it may be beneficial to hire a marketing consultant. Some common reasons include:

1. When you’re launching a new product or service: A marketing consultant can help you develop a marketing plan and strategies for promoting your new offering.
2. When you’re entering a new market: If you’re expanding your business into a new market, a marketing consultant can offer valuable insights and guidance on best reaching your target audience.
3. When you’re short on staff: If your marketing team is short-staffed, a marketing consultant can help fill the gaps and provide additional support.
4. When you need an objective perspective: A marketing consultant can provide an objective perspective on your marketing efforts. This can be helpful, especially if you do not see the results you want.

How to Hire a Marketing Consultant

If you’ve decided that hiring a marketing consultant is the right move for your business, there are a few things to keep in mind during the hiring process:

• Define your needs: Before you start looking for a marketing consultant, take some time to assess your needs. What do you hope to achieve by working with a consultant? What marketing challenges are you facing? Having a clear understanding of your needs will help you narrow down your search and find the right fit.
• Do your research: Once you know what you’re looking for, do some research on marketing consultants. Ask around for recommendations, read online reviews, and compare pricing.
• Interview candidates: Once you’ve narrowed down your list of candidates, interview them to see if they’re a good fit for your business. Ask about their experience, expertise, and approach to marketing.
• Make a decision: After interviewing candidates, make a decision and hire the marketing consultant that best meets your needs.

How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Marketing Consultant?

The cost to hire a marketing consultant varies depending on the type of consultant, their experience, and the scope of work. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $200 per hour for marketing consulting services.

The average marketing consultant salary in the United States is $73,570 per year. Marketing consultants can earn a higher salary depending on their experience and skills. The top marketing consultants can earn over $100,000 per year.

Why do companies hire a marketing consultant?

There are many reasons why companies might hire a marketing consultant. A few reasons include lack of in-house marketing expertise, lack of time or bandwidth to execute a marketing plan, need for an objective outsider’s perspective, help to develop and implementing a marketing strategy, and more.

A good marketing consultant will have a wealth of knowledge and experience in all aspects of marketing, from branding and messaging to lead generation and SEO. They should help a company develop a comprehensive marketing plan and then execute it using their resources or by working with other vendors/partners. Marketing consultants can also help troubleshoot specific issues or challenges the company faces with its marketing efforts.

Top 7 Marketing Consultants to Hire

1. Fiona Adler – Fiona Adler is a marketing consultant with over 20 years of experience helping businesses to grow and succeed. She offers a wide range of marketing consulting services, including marketing strategy, brand development, marketing communications, and lead generation.
2. MarketingHQ – MarketingHQ is a marketing consultancy based in Australia that helps businesses to grow and succeed through effective marketing. They offer a wide range of marketing consulting services, including marketing strategy, brand development, marketing communications, and lead generation.
3. Growthwise – Growthwise is a marketing consultancy that helps businesses to achieve their goals through effective marketing. They offer a wide range of marketing consulting services, including marketing strategy, brand development, marketing communications, and lead generation.
4. Marketingcompass – The Marketing Compass is a marketing consultancy that helps businesses to find and use marketing to achieve their goals. They offer a wide range of marketing consulting services, including marketing strategy, brand development, marketing communications, and lead generation.
5. The Sales Lion – The Sales Lion is a marketing consultancy that helps businesses to increase their sales through effective marketing. They offer a wide range of marketing consulting services, including marketing strategy, lead generation, social media marketing, and email marketing.
6. Mindjumpers – Mindjumpers is a marketing consultancy that helps businesses to reach their target audiences through effective marketing. They offer a wide range of marketing consulting services, including marketing strategy, brand development, marketing communications, and lead generation.
7. 360 Visibility – 360 Visibility is a marketing consultancy that helps businesses to improve their visibility through effective marketing. They offer a wide range of marketing consulting services, including marketing strategy, SEO, PPC, and social media marketing.

What services do marketing consultants offer?

Marketing consultants typically offer a range of services, including:

• Advising on marketing campaigns
• Help to create marketing plans
• Guidance on reaching customers
• Assistance with website design
• Help with social media marketing
• Marketing research
• Counselling on combating competition
• Responding to changes in the market
• Creating brand identities
• Generating leads
• Measuring marketing effectiveness

Is marketing consultant a good career?

A marketing consultant is a great career if you have marketing experience and knowledge. A marketing consultant can work with a company on a short-term project or be hired as a long-term marketing advisor.

As a marketing consultant, you would be responsible for developing and implementing marketing plans and strategies for clients. You would need to have strong marketing and business skills, as well as experience in the industry you’re consulting in.

What are the skills marketing consultants need?

Marketing consultants need to have strong analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills. You must be able to think creatively to come up with solutions that meet your client’s needs. Marketing consultants also need to be well-organized and detail-oriented. They must be able to work independently and be self-motivated.

How long does it take to become a management consultant?

Becoming a successful management consultant can take years of training and experience. You need to have at least four years of experience in consulting or another related field, which can take years to build up.

What is the job outlook for marketing consultants?

The job outlook for marketing consultants is positive. The demand for marketing consulting services is expected to grow as businesses increasingly turn to outside experts for help with their marketing strategies. Employment of marketing consultants is projected to grow 18 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.

What are the pros and cons of becoming a consultant?

The main pro of becoming a marketing consultant is that you can be your own boss and work from anywhere. You also have the potential to earn a high income, as consultants are typically paid based on the results they achieve for their clients.

The biggest con of becoming a marketing consultant is that it can be difficult to find consistent work. Marketing consulting is often project-based, so you may only have a few months to work with each client before moving to the next project. This can make it difficult to build long-term relationships with clients and establish a steady income stream.

Summary

• Marketing consultants are professionals who help businesses with their marketing efforts.
• They can provide advice on marketing campaigns, help create marketing plans, and offer guidance on best reaching customers.
• A good marketing consultant will have a lot of experience and knowledge in marketing and will help companies make the most of their resources.
• Before hiring a marketing consultant, be sure to ask for references and samples of their work.