Consulting and startegy
What is marketing consulting?
Marketing consulting is a professional service provided by experienced and qualified experts in the field of marketing. While marketing teams and agencies are usually focused on implementation and execution, marketing consultants specialize in strategy, audit, and analytics.
Unfortunately, there are many myths and misunderstandings about marketing consulting services and their real value to companies. In the US and UK markets, marketing consulting is a well-established term and usually includes an advisory service on the topics of marketing strategy and expansion into new markets.
In other parts of the world, the role of marketing consulting is still unclear. The most common myths about consulting services are that they are very advanced or mostly technical.
Understanding the marketing consulting model
The consulting model is linked to the business plan on several levels. First, market research is a key stage in understanding the market and consumers. Setting realistic expectations and gathering useful insights is a cornerstone in launching a brand and designing a business strategy.
Marketing's contributions to organizational structure and infrastructure are critical in the digital world.
As a result, the consulting model has an effective contribution to the business model. Using advanced consulting methods and marketing tactics is the cornerstone for building effective and achievable goals and planning the path the company will take. In recent years, marketing consulting has become a very reliable approach that works with any type of business, from startups to mid-sized and large brands.
The main advantages of marketing consulting services
Marketing consulting as a service enables companies to access highly advanced marketing knowledge under reliable conditions. Businesses usually hire marketing consulting professionals on an urgent basis and for a short period of time.
The biggest advantages of marketing consulting services can be summarized in the following key features.
Specific knowledge
Businesses are always looking for highly specialized opinions and professional help to not only complete the task but also to ensure a competitive edge in the market. Consulting services are always needed to add value to the brand and marketing activities, not just to complement it. The main advantage of marketing consultants is their ability to provide expert vision and prevent marketing mistakes.
Objective observation
Marketing consulting is an external resource that brings new opinions to stakeholders. Third-party intervention can provide new interpretations of the situation and marketing problems. An experienced consultant has the ability to demonstrate accurate research and provide a comprehensive hypothesis.
Flexibility
The role of marketing consulting services has become an approach to strengthen certain strategic tactics. In some cases, consulting services may be based on a specific aspect of the project, such as raising brand awareness or increasing revenue. On the other hand, consulting can be a much more extensive and long-term service that is performed over a long period of time.
Unlike full-time marketers, consultants are hired on a temporary basis to carry out specific projects. This ensures a higher level of flexibility and advancement of consulting services.
Room for negotiation
There are different payment models that a business can choose from. The two main models are based on hours spent or payment per project. In some cases, a value-based model can be used to allow companies to have effective budget control.
Consulting controls costs
Marketing ROI and advertising ROI are definitely key factors in evaluating marketing performance.
Marketing consultants are typically involved in designing accurate and reliable metrics to track performance across all marketing channels. Accordingly, consultants can help resolve conflicts between marketing teams and senior management.
A key role of marketing consulting is to audit paid channels and provide channel mix recommendations, as well as the process of optimizing digital advertising platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads and other paid social media and channels.