What Skills Do I Need to Be a Marketing Consultant?

Many marketers believe that the only way to achieve success in the workplace is to work your butt off as a full-time employee. What they don’t realize is that there’s another choice: becoming a self-employed marketing consultant.

With so many digital marketing career options there’s a growing demand for skilled professionals. And the market for independent consultants is on the rise, partly driven by the fact that some companies are hesitant to invest in expensive large marketing or advertising firms, instead of wanting to invest in one or a small team of experts.

The management consulting industry is worth $250 billion with industry hotspots in the UK and U.S. In addition, the job growth rate for management consulting and analysts in 2022 is 14% which is faster than the projections for other roles.

Of course, self-employment or working independently with a company isn’t for everyone; there are pros and cons to any job. Read on to find out more about becoming a marketing consultant to determine if it’s the best fit for you.

What Does a Marketing Consultant Do?

The job of a marketing consultant varies by company and project but typically involves advising companies on the best way to reach and engage customers.

Marketing consultants can offer a range of services which include:

Evaluating current marketing efforts and making suggestions for improvements
Helping to devise, plan, and implement digital marketing campaigns across channels
Training other marketers on best practices and technologies
Offer solutions for workflows or new methods for reaching and converting consumers
Tracking the success of marketing strategies using analytical tools

Crucially a digital marketing consultant can offer unbiased advice and solutions to drive the success of a brand’s marketing activities. Anyone in this role should have advanced knowledge of digital marketing and be able to advise on a range of key areas such as paid media, SEO, analytics, optimization, and social media strategy.

What Can Do to get into the Industry?

You will struggle to get the clients you want (or any at all) if you can’t build trust. A great LinkedIn profile that includes recommendations along with website testimonials can help build your reputation to foster trust. There are three things a client needs to trust you: the certainty that you will deliver; the belief that you’re worth your fee, and a guarantee that you will provide a clear and timely response if they contact you.

Better Understand how Marketing Influences Brand Their Media

Many companies want to build a lasting brand that customers trust as they want to expand their customer base and maximize profits. Marketing consultants sometimes make the mistake of focusing solely on revenue and not considering brand perception. For example, a half-price offer might temporarily boost sales for a client and increase their profit margin. However, if the client has spent years developing an image of luxury, it could hurt the brand and damage long-term growth.

Become Indispensable

When you first start as a consultant, finding work can be difficult. You’ll need to spend a lot of time building your personal brand and earning referrals. But persevere and you will start to see repeat clients and referrals. Earning repeat clients proves you’re reliable and have achieved success. When you start to learn everything you can about your client’s company and industry, you start to become someone that's difficult to replace. Expertise takes time, and once you have it, it’s irreplaceable.

Think about auditing your skillset to determine what subjects you’re interested in, what you already know, and how you can improve especially when it comes to digital transformation across industries. Then use that knowledge to land clients in the sectors you think are best suited to your skillset.

Do Thorough Research on Each Client

Before you launch into a project with a new client, there are several steps you should take to ensure you’ve done due diligence:

1. Set up Google Alerts for your client and its competitors to see all the latest news related to specified keywords. Check out this infographic to find out the steps to conduct keyword research.

2. Know basic financial data for your client. Some key numbers include overall revenue, gross profit, and market cap.

3. Familiarize yourself with the CEO and members of the senior management team. If all else fails, search LinkedIn, and memorize as many names and titles as you can.

4. Learn the client’s competitors. Do research to determine the client’s top 5-10 competitors, their relative sizes, key products and services, and their strengths and weaknesses. Periodically review this information to make sure it’s up to date.

Don’t be Afraid to Ask Good Questions

If you sometimes feel like Sherlock Holmes as a consultant, you’re on the right track! Questions help you understand the client’s needs and what you’re required to do. Never be afraid to ask for clarification; it’s always better than completing a project incorrectly.

Looking For Your Own Consultant?

If you are looking for an expert in the marketing field, look no further, Accent on You Marketing has your back.