Every local marketing consultant is different. They typically consult in these 3 areas. Let’s figure out if you need a local marketing consultant, a coach, or an agency to do all the work for you.
What Does A Local Marketing Consultant Do?
- Marketing Strategy
- Business Development
- Project Management
If you want foot traffic or are a service-based business and want more phone calls from people in your city then you need a local marketing consultant. There are lots of people who say they are marketing consultants but they may consult for different types of businesses and won’t necessarily be a good fit for yours.
Some of these businesses can include but are not limited to, non-profits, churches, e-commerce businesses, or SaaS (software as a service).
Sure, they can help you learn the basics of marketing but if they haven’t owned and run a brick and mortar location it may be difficult for a local marketing consultant to really understand how to consult you best.
Local Marketing Strategy
Local Marketing Strategy Definition
A strategy is “a plan designed to achieve specific goals.” It includes tactics like advertising, social media, SEO, email campaigns, etc. You can hire a local marketing consultant to create this plan or you can do it yourself with some research. If you have done any market analysis beforehand then that will make creating a good strategy easier because you already know what works locally.
“Strategy is about choosing which battles to fight; tactics are about winning those fights”. – David Ogilvy
You don’t always have time to develop a full strategy so hiring a local marketing consultant may be helpful. But keep in mind, that when it comes to building a successful online presence, there isn’t necessarily one right way.
You want to keep your business true to you and your purpose while strategizing your reach and growth.
Local Marketing Examples
Here are just a few small businesses that did well by using a local marketing consultant:
1) The first step was to find their target audience through research. Then we created a list of 10 keywords that would bring customers into our store. We then used Google Adwords to advertise on search engines and paid $5 per click. This brought us over 1,000 new visitors every month! With this amount of exposure, we were able to increase sales 20% within 6 months.
2) After doing research and finding our niche, my husband and I decided to start a blog called “The Urban Farmer Project.” Our goal was to educate others about urban farming and share our own experiences growing food at home. To get started, we had no idea where to begin. Luckily, we found a company called BloggerWorks. Their team helped me set up my website and design my logo. I knew nothing about blogging before starting, but now I am excited to write regularly on topics related to gardening.
3) When I moved back to New York City after living abroad for two years, I wanted to open a vegan restaurant. So I went searching for a space, but couldn’t afford anything larger than 500 square feet. That’s when I discovered Tiny Kitchen NYC, a catering company based in Brooklyn. They offered to rent me 600 sq ft located near my apartment. At first, I wasn’t sure whether I should go ahead with the lease. However, once I realized that I could turn around the kitchen and use it for cooking classes, I jumped at the opportunity.
Marketing Strategy
Here are some examples of what a marketing strategy a local marketing consultant may create looks like.
1) SEO (Search Engine Optimization):
Search engine optimization is the process of improving the visibility of a website within organic search engine result pages. Organic search engine optimization focuses on optimizing a website using various techniques rather than pay-per-click ads.
SEO is an important aspect of any digital marketing campaign because it helps drive traffic to websites. It also allows companies to rank higher on search engine results pages. There are several ways to optimize a site for search engines including keyword optimization, content creation, link building, social media management, etc.
2) Social Media Management:
Social media can be very effective if done correctly, especially from a local marketing consultant. If you have your own Facebook page or Twitter account, you need to manage them properly. You must post frequently, engage with followers, respond quickly to comments, and monitor negative posts. This is all very important and has the potential to make a huge impact on your overall customer engagement.
3) Email Marketing:
Email marketing has been one of the most successful forms of online advertising since its inception. Companies such as Constant Contact make email marketing easy by providing templates and tools to help create professional-looking emails.
It’s always been important to keep your business or product in the forefront of customers’ minds, but with all the distractions out there these days, it’s even more imperative that you keep them remembering you. Email marketing helps with this and can help you create a more concentrated effort to make this happen on a once-a-week basis for several weeks.
Increased and regular outreach paired with clear calls to action will result in clicks!
4) Content Creation:
Content marketing refers to creating valuable information that people want to read. This includes articles, videos, podcasts, infographics, ebooks, white papers, webinars, slide decks, etc. Some types of content include how-to guides, product reviews, case studies, interviews, etc.
5) Link Building:
Link building involves getting other sites to link to yours. For example, if you run a beauty salon, you might ask bloggers to review products you sell. These links will increase your website’s ranking on Google.
This is basically digital networking. It will never hurt you to reach out to people who can throw a bone your way as far as links are concerned. I’ve heard of business owners who make it a goal to reach out to at least one person a week who could be a good partner for this purpose.
6) Website Design & Development:
Website design and development encompass everything involved in making a website looks good. When websites first came out it was impressive if someone even mentioned they had one. Those days are over. Every website must have certain and specific components, with pages that create an easily understood and clear message with calls to action and a positive user experience.
One great benefit to an overall marketing strategy is how each of them can work together.
For instance, if you’re trying to build an email list, you might consider offering freebies or discounts to people who sign up. If you’re looking to grow traffic, you might offer special promotions to drive more clicks. If you need to improve conversions, you’ll probably want to focus on improving user experience. There is no shortage of creative ways to incorporate each of the above strategies and more in order to improve your bottom line.
Curious about the tools that are used for marketing strategy? Visit our Tools Page to see some of the sites and tools we use for the above categories.
How Much is a Local Marketing Consultant?
The cost varies depending on their experience level and the services offered. The average hourly rate ranges between $50-$100 per hour. This price range usually covers consulting only. Some offer additional services such as website design, graphic design, copywriting, video production, photography, web development, SEO, PPC, Facebook Ads, Google Adwords, content creation, lead generation, etc.
Extra services add up quickly! So, make sure you have an idea of the direction you want to go and think about how each of those services could benefit you best at first. You can always build from there. In addition, before signing anything check out their portfolio first.
Why Should I Hire a Local Marketing Consultant Instead of Doing it Myself?
There are many reasons why you might choose to hire a local marketing consultant over building your own strategy. Here are a handful of reasons:
1) Time – When starting a new venture it takes time to get things off the ground. And when you’re trying to grow something fast, having a solid foundation is critical. That means getting everything set up correctly the first time around. With a local marketing consultant, you’ll save valuable hours by not having to start from scratch every single time.
2) Experience – As mentioned above, most consultants have been through the process multiple times themselves.
3) Expertise – Most people who run websites aren’t experts in search engine optimization. They also probably haven’t worked with ad networks or paid traffic sources. Having these types of expertise gives them insight into ways they can help you succeed more easily. For example, if you decide to use AdSense for monetization, you won’t need to worry about setting up all the code required. Instead, you just pay once and let the expert handle it.
4) Resources – Many companies spend thousands of dollars on expensive software packages. However, many of these programs require constant updates and maintenance. By outsourcing your digital needs, you free up resources to focus on other aspects of your company.
5) Support – One thing that’s great about working with a local marketing consultant is that they understand your industry inside-out. Because they’ve seen similar challenges and successes, they can guide you towards solutions that work well within your niche. Plus, they often provide support beyond the initial project scope.
However, this is not always the case and isn’t necessarily included in the initial scope of work. Make sure you have a full understanding of exactly what your expectations are versus their expectations. You want to be on the same page.
Check out another blog we wrote on What Makes Marketing Coaches Different From Consultants?
Business Development
What Does a Business Development Consultant Do?
A Business Development consultant helps businesses find customers and clients by using various methods including cold calling, networking events, trade shows, referrals, search engine optimization, paid ads, direct mailings, radio/TV commercials, etc. They work closely with companies to identify opportunities and provide solutions based on the needs of both parties.
Business development consultants often specialize in certain industries or types of products. For example, a financial advisor would focus on helping small businesses figure out ways to increase revenue, whereas a lawyer would look into legal issues affecting startups.
Types of Businesses That May Need A Business Development Consultant
Any type of business can use a business developer. However, here are three common areas where these professionals come in handy:
1) Startups & Small Business Owners – These entrepreneurs require assistance finding potential investors, partners, suppliers, distributors, and other resources needed to launch their product or service.
2) Non-Profits / Charities – Many non-profits need help raising money for projects that will improve lives. Whether they’re looking for grants, donations, sponsorships, volunteers, or more, BDs can be instrumental in bringing together all the necessary pieces required to execute successful fundraising campaigns.
3) Entrepreneurship Training Programs – If you’ve ever heard someone say “I wish I knew then what I know now…” chances are good they were referring to entrepreneurship training programs. From boot camps to seminars, online courses to workshops, this field has exploded in recent years. While some people may simply enroll because they feel like they need to learn more about running a startup, others actually end up learning quite a bit along the way.
Who Should Use A Business Developer?
Anyone who wants to sell his or her goods or services to consumers.
Project Management
What Does a Project Manager Do?
A Project Manager oversees the planning, execution, monitoring, reporting, and closing phases of any given project. PMs typically manage teams of employees working towards one goal. This could include anything from building an app to launching a new website. The key thing to remember when hiring a PM is that he or she should possess strong leadership skills as well as technical expertise in the project’s areas of importance.
The following are just a few things a project manager might oversee during the course of a typical project:
- Planning phase
- Execution phase
- Monitoring phase
- Closing phase
A project manager will see the project through from beginning to end.
What is the Difference Between Consultant and Project Manager?
The main difference between a Project Manager and a Consultant is that the former typically manage multiple projects at once while consultants tend to only handle one client at a time. This means that project managers usually have a lot less responsibility than consultants. In fact, most project managers don’t even get involved in day-to-day operations unless it involves working directly with an individual client.
What Does a Project Manager do in Marketing?
Project Managers do small group coaching, consult 1-on-1, and every local marketing service you can think of through our agency. If you aren’t sure which is best for your situation, schedule a call.
Are There Any Other Things To Consider Before Choosing One Over Another?
When choosing a local marketing consultant vs project manager, there are several factors to keep in mind. First, if you hire a project management expert over an experienced local marketing consultant, you risk losing control over the entire process.
The biggest thing to consider is how much experience each person brings to the table. Some experts might only offer one specific skill while others bring a unique combination of expertise. It’s also important to understand whether the company offers ongoing support after the initial consultation. This could include anything from monthly reports to follow-ups via phone calls or emails.
A project manager typically works directly under the owner of the business, whereas consultants work independently. As such, when working with a project manager, you must trust him/her completely. They have access to sensitive information regarding your business which makes them vulnerable to leaking confidential details. On top of that, many businesses hire managers as part of their team so they don’t always have the same level of attention paid to their clients’ concerns.
If you’re considering hiring a local marketing consultant instead of a project manager, make sure he/she has enough experience and knowledge to handle any challenges that arise throughout the course of the project. Also, ask yourself why you would prefer using a local marketing consultant over a project manager. Is it purely based on cost savings? Or do you think you can get better results by having a professional take care of everything?
What Skills Make a Good Local Marketing Consultant?
Skills vary depending on the industry but here are a few things we’ve seen consistently across different industries:
- Excellent communication skills – Whether through email, text message, video conference call, or face-to-face meeting, effective communication is key to success.
- Experience handling multiple projects at once – Most successful consultants have worked with other companies before and have been able to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously without compromising quality.
- Strong organizational skills – Being organized helps save both money and time. Plus, being well prepared means less stress for everyone involved.
- Ability to multi-task – Many consultants find themselves juggling between client responsibilities, administrative duties, marketing campaigns, etc., making it difficult to focus solely on one task at hand. Having strong multitasking abilities allows them to stay productive even though they are spread thin.
- Good listening skills – Listening effectively is essential when communicating with customers. Without proper customer feedback, it becomes hard to improve products and services.
- Knowledgeable about current trends – When it comes to technology, social media, SEO, content creation, etc., most consultants know what’s hot right now and how to use it to benefit their clients.
How Much Should My Budget be For a Marketing Campaign?
The answer very much depends on whether you want to spend more than $500 per month on advertising or not.
For example, if you plan to spend no more than $100-$200 monthly on ads then you may only need to invest up to 5 hours per week into creating new posts, responding to comments, posting images, etc. This could mean spending an hour every day. However, if you want to increase the amount spent on advertising this might require investing 10+ hours weekly. The point is that there isn’t necessarily a direct correlation between the number of hours invested and the return on investment. It really just depends on where you currently stand financially and how much you feel like you can afford to spend.
Additional Thoughts:
As with anything, it’s essential to cover your expectations upfront. You’ll want to know what you can expect from your local marketing consultant, business developer, or project manager. How much time will they be willing to spend with you? Will it be in-person or via phone or online? How long will these sessions be? Generally speaking, sessions will be very focused on one or two items each time. There will not be much time for covering all your business needs during these meetings.
Are you still wondering whether you could benefit from hiring a local marketing consultant? Schedule a call with us today and we’ll discuss your situation to see what the best fit would be.
