Marketing consultancies and consultants are abundant, yet their roles can be unclear. This leads to questions such as “What does a marketing consultant do?” and confusion between a consultancy and an agency. The root of the uncertainty lies in understanding marketing and the diverse responsibilities of a consultant.
Understanding the role of a consultant
The first thing to understand is that there is no such thing as only one type of consultant. Kiel & Mclendon’s consulting framework below provides a good breakdown of the different consultant roles, ranging from someone who will work for you to one who partners with you, teaches you, or observes.
Depending on a business’s needs, a marketing consultant—or consultancy—can fulfil any of the roles above or a combination of them. The trick is to understand what you need.
Marketing is, first and foremost, a strategic function
Marketing is derived from the term “market,” which refers to activities that occur outside the business. Unlike other functions that begin with an internal perspective, marketing is the only business function focusing on an external viewpoint. Looking at the company from the customer’s perspective can provide valuable insights and enhance competitiveness. Marketing is more than just communication – it encompasses all points of contact with the customer. Its focus is on the market. These contact points are commonly referred to as the “4Ps of marketing”: Product, Price, Place, and, lastly, Promotions (or “advertising”).
However, in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the marketing role is often limited to the promotional “P”. The business owner and senior managers handle product specifications, pricing, and placement (distribution). Despite the emphasis on promotions, the marketing function in an SME always has a strategic component, even if delegated to a junior employee. This is because marketing deals with how the business presents itself, making it inherently crucial and risky. Essentially, marketing is always strategic.
Marketing can never be completely outsourced
Many small to mid-sized businesses hope to find a marketing consultant who can take over their social media management and marketing efforts. But it’s important to realise that the marketing function can never be fully outsourced given its strategic foundations. Instead, it’s best to work with someone who can collaborate with you and add their expertise to your ideas. Marketing is a team effort; a consultant can only be valuable if they become part of your team.
The role of a marketing consultant is to have a strong understanding of the fundamentals of marketing, especially the strategic aspect. This will help them ask the right questions and guide a working relationship into productive territory. A good consultant must know more than just the latest fads.
How important is industry experience when hiring a marketing consultant?
When looking for a consultant, many people assume that industry-specific experience is essential so that they can replicate what they have done elsewhere. However, in our experience, having expertise in a particular industry is less crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). What matters more is understanding how to apply the fundamentals in a fast-paced, budget-constrained, and highly entrepreneurial environment. Therefore, having a marketing consultant who specialises in the “startup” environment is more valuable than someone with industry-specific experience.
Another thing that is more important than specific industry experience is the connection a consultant has with the business owner and leadership team. When looking for a marketing consultant, it’s crucial to find someone you can relate with since business is always personal for small and mid-sized companies.
A collaborative approach is the most effective way to work with a marketing consultant. Finding someone who understands the fundamentals, especially as they relate to non-corporate businesses, and whom you can clique with is more important than whether they have worked in the exact same industry.