The most common question I get asked when speaking about consulting is really… what do you do? Graphic design? Social Media?
I love this question because I can go on and on about what I enjoy doing. But it also tells me exactly what the person’s experience is, and has been, with consulting. It’s a necessary and fair question.
Here are my top go-to points about what a marketing consultant does:
- I research your industry and the market for you. I look at your competitors, competing products, pricing, marketing strategies and campaigns, pitfalls and other market characteristics. I sum it up for you and highlight market gaps and opportunities, along with recommended marketing channels.
- I help you understand your customers. We talk about who you are (or thinking of) targeting and look at customer demographics in the areas where you want to operate. I look at customer behaviour and their needs, along with market trends, and together we craft customer personas that help you speak the language of your customer. A big part of developing these customer personas is content development because you will be using this content throughout your marketing efforts.
- I help you plan your marketing. Strategic marketing is a long-term game that benefits from building momentum and tapping into current events. Every marketing strategy has a goal, and it’s hard to see if you’re on the right path to achieving that goal without a solid plan in place to track your success. Some marketing plans focus more on digital strategies, others on brand… and some are integrated, like a tossed salad. My role is to guide you through building a marketing strategy and execution plan to help you reach your goals.
- I help you build your brand. Your brand is what customers equate to “you” – the heart and soul of your business. Brands themselves have personas and stand for something. They have visions, missions and values. They have a tone of voice and they have a style and look to them. Here’s where it gets fun – you can brand your business, you can brand your customer experience, you can brand your recruitment experience and your onboarding experience… you can brand (assign a personality to) anything and everything. The key to success is doing it in a consistent and aligned way so that you don’t confuse and alienate customers. At the end of the day, your brand can account for equity in your business. Some customers will be pay more for your service because of your brand, so investing in building a solid brand is a big key to your success.
- I connect you to trusted preferred partners. Having been in the creative part of marketing (graphic design, content development, etc…) in agencies and large corporate settings, I have a certain standard. I’ll say it bluntly – I’m a quality snob. I will refuse to print in China. I will refuse to use a logo service. I will refuse to cut corners. If I can’t be proud of the work I put out, I’d rather not do it at all. I guess this sets the tone for our rules of engagement as well. To feed this standard, I’ve partnered with people who provide quality service – graphic designers, videographers, digital pros, coordinators and even other strategists. If I can’t personally provide you with a service you need, I will gladly refer you to the capable people in my network and know that you will be in top professional hands.
And then… there’s corporate marketing consulting. Simply put, I jump in where help is needed. I have branding, communications, digital and integrated marketing experience and am happy to explore new industries and take on new challenges.
I hope this post sums up (in a lot of words) what it is I do. If you find yourself resonating with these points and needing support in any of the areas listed above, don’t hesitate. I offer a free 30 minute intro consultation to hear all about your business and see how we can work together.
Why Marketing is a marketing consultancy who helps small & medium sized businesses set up a sustainable, scalable, efficient and effective marketing function. The primary goal is to empower entrepreneurs to own their brand. Founder Elena Parial is a Senior Marketing Consultant with over 15 years of B2B, B2C and corporate marketing experience. Being industry-fluid allows her to bring successful strategies to clients who need to look at their marketing differently.