Why Your Small Business Should Hire a Marketing Consultant
If you’re a small business owner and don’t have your marketing dialed in, you’re in for some tough times. Digital marketing is necessary for business success, especially for small business success. Yet, 50% of small business owners admit to not having a marketing plan. And despite 75% of small business owners agreeing that internet marketing is very effective for attracting new customers (and 47% of them still run marketing entirely on their own), they only spend less than 2 hours a week on marketing efforts. Moreover, 1 in 5 small businesses don’t utilize digital marketing at all (Small Business Marketing Statistics).
In an ever-changing digital marketing world, small business owners simply don’t have the time to spend learning the nuances of running campaigns, setting up automation, generating leads and the many other parts of digital marketing.
Let’s face it, digital marketing can be daunting – putting in hours of breaking down markets and identifying people to target only to get very little return. Unfortunately, if you break down your average ROI for your efforts, you’re most likely spending 1.5 – 2 times more than paying a small business marketing consultant to do it for you more effectively. More often than not, you make back the money you spend for a consultant within the first 30 – 60 days.
That’s why many small business owners are now outsourcing their marketing efforts. Hiring a digital marketing consultant can return high profits, while ultimately saving time and money.
There are many reasons why a business may decide to hire a marketing consultant.
“An unwillingness to delegate can negatively impact small businesses, as can poorly planned or executed marketing campaigns, or a lack of adequate marketing and publicity.” Investopia
Some of the most common reasons a small business will hire a marketing consultant include:
Budget constraints
Hiring a full-time marketing employee can be expensive and may not be feasible for a small business. A marketing consultant can provide the same services at a much lower cost. After all, you only pay a marketing consultant when you need them.
Lack of in-house marketing expertise
A business may not have a dedicated marketing department or the employees within the department may not have the necessary skills or experience to effectively market the business. A marketing consultant can bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table.
To improve marketing efficiency and effectiveness
A marketing consultant can help a business identify and address inefficiencies in its current marketing approach and develop new strategies that are more effective in achieving marketing goals.
To save time and resources
Starting and running a marketing campaign from scratch can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. A marketing consultant can help a business save time and resources by creating and executing a marketing plan more efficiently.
To support a specific marketing initiative or campaign
A business may only need a marketing consultant for a specific project or campaign and not want to hire a full-time employee. A business may be planning a new product launch, event, or campaign and need additional support to execute it successfully. A marketing consultant can provide expertise and resources to make sure that the initiative is well-planned and executed.
Specialized skills to Fill a Gap
A business may need help with a specific aspect of marketing, such as market research, email marketing and automation, or search engine optimization and may not have anyone in-house with those skills. A marketing consultant can bring specialized skills and experience to the table and take care of these needs.
To measure and track marketing performance
A marketing consultant can help a business set up and use analytics and metrics to measure the performance of marketing campaigns and strategies. This data can provide actionable insights to optimize campaigns and improve ROI. A consultant can connect all your data and user intelligence to a CRM or database management system to create more effective sales processes.
Keeping up with industry trends and new technology
Marketing is a constantly evolving field, with new trends and technologies emerging all the time. A marketing consultant can help a business stay current and competitive by identifying new opportunities and implementing the latest tools and techniques.
To gain fresh perspective and new ideas
A business may have been using the same marketing strategies for a while and feel stuck in a rut. A marketing consultant can bring fresh ideas and a new perspective on how to reach new audiences and engage with customers.
Scaling and expansion
For a business planning to scale or expand, a marketing consultant can assist in identifying and reaching new target markets, help with creating effective marketing strategies, and building a more sustainable brand.
A marketing consultant will pour all efforts into marketing your products and services, providing valuable sales enablement materials, building your brand and doing all of your ancillary marketing chores faster and more effectively. This marketing help will allow you to more productively manage your business. Just like an accountant or a sales person, a marketing consultant can take care of an essential portion of your business, so you can focus on your company – without having to hire a full-time employee with benefits.
A marketing consultant adds value to any small business, and with all the noise and distractions in today’s world, a business without effective marketing, is a business dead in the water.
Digital Consulting Services is a marketing firm that specializes in developing revenue-growing marketing programs including websites, SEO and increasing lead volume for small and medium sized businesses. We understand small business because we are a small business. We will take care of your marketing so you can take care of your business. Click here to learn more about us.
Unlike most marketing consulting firms, we are transparent and fully disclose our costs and your RETURN ON INVESTMENT. If we don’t deliver, you don’t pay – it’s that simple.