Looking out to hire a marketing consultant for your team? Need to know how and where to find the best candidates? Here is a comprehensive guide to finding the best marketing consultants. Read on!
How to hire a marketing consultant?
A marketing consultant is skilled professionals that can analyze what motivates customers. They plan and implement strategies to improve profitability. They ensure their company engages with existing clients and look for ways to get additional clients.
They utilize analytical tools to study potential and develop strategies to achieve their goals. Today several businesses hire an online marketing consultant to implement digital marketing strategy. In this blog, we address several questions you may about hiring marketing consultants or a part-time marketing consultant.
We discuss how to hire a marketing consultant, where to post requirements for marketing consultant jobs, and the skills and qualifications of the best marketing consultant. Those wondering how to be a freelance marketing consultant may find this article useful.
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Hiring market for a marketing consultant
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job opportunities for market specialists (marketing managers and consultants) will increase by 8% between 2018 and 2028. With the market becoming more competitive, advertising and marketing consultants are needed for the business to grow.
Companies will require it marketing consultant or virtual marketing consultant as they try to expand their visibility online. The marketing consultant field is competitive. Fields of marketing that are in demand presently are digital marketing, multichannel marketing, e-commerce marketing. The top 5 states with the highest marketing consultant freelance jobs are,
- California
- Illinois
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Texas
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Top 15 recent job titles for marketing consultants
Before you learn how to be a marketing consultant? We have listed some of the popular job titles,
1. Marketing Consultant
The marketing consultant is an advisor who works with different companies to create and implement marketing strategies. They help companies create a detailed plan, determine a business’s marketing message, and identify the appropriate message for the target audiences. The average salary is $62676/year.
2. Marketing Data Consultant
The marketing data consultant helps to analyze your data and get a clear understanding of how to improve the effectiveness of a marketing consultant. They help to improve decision-making, forecasting, take meaningful action, improve customer satisfaction and help to evolve your organization. The average salary of a marketing data consultant is $76426/year.
3. Sales Consultants
The sales consultant marketing consultant acts as a middleman between the client and company. They help promote the product or service. The consultant helps to build a lasting relationship with the customer and build the client base. They help find new business opportunities. A sales consultant can charge between $250-$600/hour.
4. Digital Marketing Consultant
A digital marketing consultant helps to develop, implement, and monitor an organization’s paid and online marketing strategy. They help to build your online presence. They use various analytical tools to analyze your present digital presence before making recommendations. The national average salary of a digital marketing consultant is $65834/hour.
5. Content Marketing Consultant
A content marketing consultant builds and implements a strategy to create online content. The consultant carefully creates the content to ensure the audience remains engaged with the website and gets a call for action-reaction. The salary of a content marketing consultant is $65834/year.
6. E-mail Marketing Consultant
3.93 billion email addresses in the world. An email marketing consultant helps to conceptualize email marketing strategy. Their strategy helps you reach a large number of prospective customers quickly. They understand how to draft your marketing email with a call for action. This can be subscribing to your newsletters, making a purchase, or downloading information. Email marketing consulting salary ranges from $20,500 to $86500/year.
7. E-commerce Marketing consultant
An E-commerce marketing consultant is an online marketing expert. They analyze the business and create a customized e-commerce plan to market it. They track progress to the goal and adjust the plan after studying analytical data. They need to keep themselves abreast of the latest trends in the e-commerce marketplace. The average salary of an e-commerce marketing consultant is $58,657/year.
8. Affiliate Marketing Consultant
Affiliate marketing consultants help businesses get started in the early stages of their website. The average salary of an affiliate marketing consultant is $65,834/year.
9. Social Media Marketing Consultant
The social media marketing consultant helps businesses reach out and engage with customers using different social media channels. A great deal of planning, content creation and posting goes into creating a successful social media campaign. The average salary of social media consultant ranges from $29961 to $67602.
10. Software Marketing Consultant
The software marketing consultant specializes in generating leads, gaining visibility, convert leads to sales, and increase customer retention. The salary of a software marketing consultant $55000/year.
11. Brand Marketing Consultant
Brand marketing consultants provide analysis, solution, and marketing expertise for companies to sell their products. The average salary of a brand marketing consultant is $56223/year.
12. Marketing Communication Consultant
The consultant helps to make a detailed plan to draft the business marketing plan. They help to identify the marketing mix to get the message out of target marketing. The national average salary of a marketing communication consultant is $77368/year.
13. Market Research Consultant
The market research consultant collects data on consumer spending habits and the effectiveness of advertising and social media advertising. The national average salary of a market research consultant is $72393/year.
14. Partner Marketing Consultant
The Partner marketing consultant partners or collaborate with the person or business that has an in-depth knowledge of the area your business wants to sell. The average salary of a partner marketing consultant $84644/year.
15. Product Marketing Consultant
The product marketing consultant helps to launch the product successfully into the market. The typical salary of a product marketing consultant $44/hour.
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Qualifications to look for in marketing consultant
Most freelance marketing consultants have completed their undergraduate degrees in business, marketing, or communication. Several freelance marketing consultant jobs specify the candidate must have an MBA degree. The best undergraduate courses for marketing in the USA are,
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- University of Pennsylvania
- New York University
- University of Texas, Austin
- Indiana University
The best undergraduate courses for communication in the US are,
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Stanford University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Northwestern University
- Brown University
Best MBA in Marketing in the US are,
- University of California, Los Angeles Anderson
- Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSBB)
- Michigan Ross School of Business
- Duke Fuqua School of Business
- NYU STERN
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Skills to look for in a marketing consultant
Before you hire a marketing consultant you need to ensure their skills are fit for your organization. We have listed the skills for top marketing consultant,
- Ability to understand customer’s needs and the sales process – The consultant needs to understand what motivates the customer. The B2B customer and B2C customer will have distinct demands and need different approaches.
- Good grasp of analytics- The marketing consultant should be able to use various agile analytical tools such as Google Analytics, HubSpot, etc. They should be able to utilize marketing automation and analytical tools to improve productivity.
- Communicate clearly – the consultant should be able to communicate clearly without using jargon. They need to have the ability to explain the product and services in a simplified manner. They should have excellent communication skills and be able to use different visual presentation tools.
- Ability to strategize – The consultant should be able to strategize and come up with a comprehensive marketing plan. They should be able to have a concrete game plan to achieve the goal.
- Ability to listen and empathize – Listening skill is often a neglected. They should be able to listen to customers and hear market feedback and suggestions. They need to empathize with the customer they are trying to reach.
- Prioritize – Part of the freelance marketing job description is to collecting data, organizing it, analyzing and present recommendations. They need to be able to prioritize focus on tasks on hand. They may have a long task list and need to prioritize the tasks that will have the maximum impact.
- Leadership skills and professionalism- Consultants are expected to have leadership skills and professionalism to inspire confidence.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving – An independent marketing consultant is expected to have critical thinking and be able to come up with unique solutions to your marketing problems.
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Certifications to look for in marketing consultant
Top marketing consultants are interested in improving their skill sets. Here are the certification to look for while hiring a marketing consultant,
- Certified Management Consultant is awarded by the Institute of Management Consultants.
- The American Marketing Association is one of the most established professional marketing organizations in the US. The AMA offers four certifications,
-
- Digital marketing
- Marketing management
- Sales Management
- Content Marketing
- Interactive Advertising Bureau offers four certification programs that are valid for 9 to 14 months. The certifications offered Interactive Advertising Bureau are,
-
- Digital Media Sales
- Digital Ad Operations
- Digital Data Solutions
- Digital Media Buying and Planning
-
- 4As is one of the oldest and largest professional marketing organizations. It offers the IPA Foundation certification.
- Foundation of Advancement of Marketing Excellence in Entrepreneurs (FAMME) offers certifications at five levels. The certifications offered are:-
-
- Certified Marketing Advisor in Training
- Certified Marketing Advisor I
- Certified Marketing Advisor II
- Certified Expert Marketing Advisor I
- Certified Expert Marketing Advisor II
The top certifications for consultants in digital marketing are,
- Facebook Certified Planning Professional
- Google AdWords Certification
- Hootsuite Social Marketing Certification
- HubSpot Content Marketing Certification
- PCM – Digital Management
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Rate per hour of marketing consultant
The salary of a marketing consultant depends on factors like experience, qualification, the sector they work in, and location. The average salary of a marketing consultant in the US is $95000/year or $48.72/year.
Entry-level freelance marketing consultants $40,000/year while most experienced workers $200,000/year. The average base salary of a marketing consultant is £ 30,499/year. The entry-level marketing consultant’s salary is £ 20,000/year and the experienced marketing consultant’s salary is £ 60,000/year. In India, the average salary of a marketing consultant is Rs 667,400/year.
Entry-level candidates with three to four years of experience can earn Rs.2,93,400/year. A mid-level executive with four to nine years of experience can earn Rs.610,700/year. Senior-level consultants with 10-20 years of experience can earn up to Rs934,600/year. Marketing consultants with more than 20 years of experience can earn Rs.12,78,600/year.
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Top 10 job boards to find the best marketing consultant
When you want to hire a marketing consultant you have a few options. You can use search options to use search engines to look for marketing consultants near me, part-time marketing consultants, or look for marketing consultants on various job boards. The best job boards to find an independent marketing contractor or marketing consultant.
- VentureBeat
- AdRant
- unremot.com
- CrunchBoard
- TalentZoo
- Flexjob
- Mashable
- Simplyhired
- Upwork
- Workopolis
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Top 10 companies hiring marketing consultant and salaries offered
The best marketing consultants can be hired by the following firms,
- Change is an online petition platform. The average salary of a marketing consultant at Change.org $80950/year.
- Sinclair Broadcasting Group is a diversified media company. The typical salary of a marketing consultant is $46610/year.
- The Ohio State University is a grant-research university in Ohio. The salary of a marketing consultant ranges from $54487-$58245/year.
- Streamline Management is a company specializing in promotional campaigns. The average salary of marketing consultants$37000-$55000/year.
- iHeartMedia Inc is an American mass media corporation. The estimated salary of a marketing consultant at iHeartMedia Inc ranges from $43000 to $56000.
- Prophecy Media Group is a large media house. The estimated salary of marketing consultants at Prophecy Media Group ranges from $33,000 to $42000/year.
- First Horizon is a financial service company based in Tennessee. The salary of freelance marketing consultants at First Horizon is $57000 to $79000/year.
- KeyBank is one of the largest banks in the US. The average salary of a marketing advisor ranges from $35000 to $47000.
- Deloitte is one of the largest consultant firms in the world. The salary of sales marketing consultants at Deloitte typically ranges from $53000 to $74000 a year.
- Footbridge Media is a contractor marketing firm. The salary of a sales marketing consultant is estimated to range from $34000 to $47000 a year.
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Top 10 interview questions for a marketing consultant
Whether you opt for a pc consultation and marketing or select a marketing consultant near me, you need to interview them. We have listed some questions you can ask a marketing consultant.
Question 1: What brand do you follow on social media and why?
Rationale: The answer helps to gauge how the digital marketing manager perceives marketing content on social media.
Answer: My favorite social media campaign in Starbucks managed to include inclusivity in their campaign. They managed to integrate their social media and TV advertising campaign.
Question 2: What are the three components of a successful inbound or digital marketing strategy?
Rationale: The question shows if the online marketing consultants keep themselves updated with the latest marketing strategy.
Answer: A successful marketing campaign has three components,
- Content Creation is the backbone of any inbound campaign. According to Hubspot blogging can increase the traffic of a website up to 55%. We need to have a content creation strategy and create engaging content.
- SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the strategy and technique used to increase visitors to the website by obtaining a higher ranking during the search engine result page.
- Social media- Social media is another low-cost method for increasing your online visibility.
Question 3: Share an effective method used by companies to help determine their position in the market?
Rationale: Any marketing consultant should be able to know effective positioning strategies before recommending a game plan.
Answer: There are several strategies you can opt for,
- Product attributes and benefits
- Product price
- Product quality
- Product use and applications
Question 4: If you gather information from multiple sources, how do you determine which information was relevant.
Rationale: Part of marketing consultant needs to have the ability to analyze data from multiple sources.
Answer: In my last job we were trying to determine which candidate to promote to a Sales lead. I did not want my personal preferences to color my judgment. I decided to do a 360 evaluation of all the potential candidates.
I compiled the data and shortlisted the two top candidates. One was expected while the other was a silent performer. The candidate who cleared the interview is leading the sales team well.
Question 5: How do adapt to a new company’s culture?
Rationale: This shows how a candidate’s flexibility and ability to work with a different company.
Answer: I approach each company with a fresh and open mind. I spend time with the employees to understand and adjust to the new culture.
Question 6: If you have data show none of the potential customers use social media should you do it? Why?
Rationale: Social media has become an important part of our lives. The candidate interested in online marketing consultant jobs should be able to demonstrate why it is important to be on Social media.
Answer: It is important to be on social media because your future customers may be on social media right now. It helps to gain industrial clout and visibility. Social media activity can help with your SEO score. Social media presence allows you to control your online presence. Your competitors are also on social media. Social media publicity is comparatively low cost.
Question 7: Which Statistical analytical tool do you use and Why?
Rationale: Anyone interested in marketing consult should be able to use analytical tools.
Answer: I like using MixPanel it is an advanced Web and Mobile Analytical tool. It lets me observe how users interact with your app or software.
Question 8 What is the relationship between marketing and sales?
Rationale: the question is an elementary question that a marketing consultant should be able to answer.
Answer: Marketing helps to develop a relationship between a large customer base and the product or service that is sold by your company. After the customer is interested the sales department helps to close the deal.
Question 9: What method would you use to launch a product when there is a short time duration?
Rationale: Anyone who does freelance marketing consulting should be able to answer this/ It demonstrates knowledge and experience.
Answer: The first step to launch a product is defining the target market (demography, age, internet ability). We have to listen to the potential customer and ask relevant questions. It is important to have clear goals and milestones for a new product launch.
These goals may include financial goals, customer goals, and brand awareness goals. We should track their progress over time. It is important to keep looking for ways to increase customer engagement.
Question 10: What are the components of a successful inbound or digital marketing strategy?
Rationale: Digital marketing consultants near me should know what is latest ways to attract customers.
Answer 10: Below are the right set of components,
- A blog with a strong CTA, landing pages for website visitors to download content.
- An SEO plan and analytics to track the campaign
- Create buyers persona.
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