Digital Marketing: How To Choose A Good Consultant

by IRS Logics Tax Resolution Software for Tax Professionals

An expert digital marketing consultant will be able to help an SME grow its online business and achieve the goals set by the company. Whether it's a company that doesn't have an internal marketing department or instead there is an established team, an external consultant will always be an advantage: it allows you to define marketing strategies from scratch, help in the digital transition and provide a new point of view, also the result of the experience accumulated in the sector.

When you decide to hire a consultant, you also need to understand how to evaluate him to find the most suitable person for the SME's needs. Among the factors to consider, there is certainly the final objective of the company, which will have to understand its own needs and expectations. Furthermore, both the technical and personal skills of the consultant will have to be assessed so that a relationship of trust can be established: sharing the same values with the SME will be essential to achieve the objectives set. Here are some tips.

Digital Marketing: Why Hire a Consultant

Before choosing a good digital marketing consultant, it is necessary to understand why it is important and if the company needs it. SMEs that do not have an internal marketing division will need to integrate this lack with an external consultant.

The consultant will be able to design a digital & revenue marketing strategy that will help companies understand how to invest their resources, for example, increase the generation of leads and conversions, start a digital transformation, and understand if there are market sectors in which it would be better to expand. In reality, even a company that already has an internal digital marketing department can benefit from an external consultant, who will bring added value and will be able to offer new digital marketing services thanks to his experience with other companies, even those not in the specific sector.

Choosing the best digital marketing consultant

Establish needs and expectations

SMEs intending to choose a digital marketing consultant will need to determine their online business needs and expectations. To do this, it is necessary to establish how long you intend to use the consultant, defining short, medium, and long-term objectives.

Furthermore, it is necessary to define what the priorities are, for example, to increase online sales and lead generation or implement inbound marketing strategies. It is also important to understand any limits relating to the final objective, such as the budget to be allocated and the tools to be adopted.

The area of expertise

One of the most important criteria for selecting your digital marketing consultant is their area of expertise. Digital marketing is rapidly evolving, and the consultant must know all the news, know how to align with the market's needs, and keep up with the times.

In order to understand the area of expertise, in addition to the curriculum, it will also be possible to evaluate what are the previous jobs and the results that the consultant has achieved with other companies for which he has carried out a job similar to the one requested.

Transversal skills

Transversal skills are also important in choosing a collaborator, especially if it is a consultant to entrust with your company's digital marketing. Through a telephone conversation, video chat, or in person, it will be possible to establish an initial approach to understand if it is possible to establish a relationship of trust. Furthermore, a consultant who shares the same values as the company will be able to make his contribution more effective.

Among the qualities that a good digital marketing consultant must have, there are certainly curiosity and adaptability in order to be able to follow the evolving nature of the subject. Transparency and integrity are also two non-technical factors to evaluate in order to understand whether the consultant is willing to commit to the assignment. It would then be better to choose a consultant who does not work for the company's direct competitors and who is willing to sign a confidentiality clause to protect the brand.

The budget to allocate

The last question that an SME must ask itself is the size of the budget to be allocated to digital marketing consultancy. After establishing whether the price requested by the consultant corresponds to the expertise offered, the digital marketing services included in the estimate can be evaluated. For example, if the costs are calculated on the basis of working days or a flat rate that includes certain services for the entire agreed period.

In the first case, the days to implement the strategy and achieve the objectives could increase, and the compensation to be paid. Second, you need to carefully evaluate everything that is included in the offer and what the extra costs will be.