What does a marketing consulting firm actually do?

Why do companies use marketing consulting firms?

The answer, as you might have guessed, is simple: they need to outsource part of their marketing efforts. Many firms lack the necessary staff on hand and thus hire an external marketing firm. Others possess all of the required resources but rather want someone with a fresh eye looking over their marketing or a specific area of focus for one project.

Outward Opinion on Projects



Many businesses can fail a marketing campaign by having too many "yes" men! Sometimes your marketing director/ marketing team(s) will go with whatever the sales department demands because "they bring in the revenue, right?". Having a fresh opinion on a marketing campaign(s) can do your business wonders!

Filling in The Gaps

Do you need a marketing consultant to bridge your team(s) until you grow large enough to hire a marketing director? Or perhaps you're in the process of hiring a new employee and you can't wait 3-6 months until you onboard your new employee? A marketing consultant can fill in the gaps you might be missing while being a temporary, low-cost solution.

So... What Does a Marketing Consultant Actually Do?

A marketing consultant is someone who can handle the full marketing mix, from strategy to tactics. They are able to create a company's marketing plan, integrate important messages with their target market, and deploy marketing techniques that have a higher chance of succeeding. They create an extensive marketing plan comprised of various activities and, by determining the appropriate mix of marketing methods.

Marketing consultants are usually involved in the implementation of marketing plans and keep track of their outcomes, modify campaigns as needed, and make use of data to minimize waste in terms of resources, budget, and customer experience.

When's The Best Time to Hire a Marketing Consultant?

Small and medium-sized businesses may find that outsourcing their marketing at various stages of their development or even when they're established, can make sense for their business. Many small and medium-sized enterprises, for example, enlist the help of marketing consultants to ensure that they have the same competitive edge as larger rivals while still executing their marketing campaigns at a higher level than in-house.

The best time to hire a marketing consultant is when you don't yet need a full time position for the skills you need to execute a particular marketing campaign.

Larger firms frequently engage marketing consultants to add value to their existing team since they recognize the importance of this experience in their marketing efforts.

What Skills Should a Marketing Consultant Have?

How Do Marketing Consultants Charge?

Marketing consultants will typically charge at least double whatever hourly roles they're fulfilling if they're filling a labor gap in your organization.

Larger marketing consulting firms will usually charge a day rate or a per-project rate due to the size of the projects they'll usually take on (they have access to a larger pool of labor).

Many marketing consulting businesses are changing their pricing structure from fee by the hour to one that is based on the value they will deliver to your company over the course of a project, which can vary depending on the size of the task and the overall value they'll bring your organization. If you have a marketing campaign that you expect will be bringing your company $10m+ in revenue, you can definitely expect to pay more than a smaller company that has a marketing campaign that has an expected yield of $500k!

How Much Should You Expect to Pay a Marketing Consultant?

You should typically expect to pay at least double the hourly rate of whatever role(s) you're hiring the marketing consultant for.

So, if you're hiring a singular marketing consultant to fulfill a marketing director role ($120k, or $60 per hour) then you should expect to pay a minimum of $120 per hour (most marketing consulting agencies will charge a minimum amount of hours as a retainer before work commences).

Of course, longer and larger multi-team projects will allow you to negotiate a discount with whatever marketing consultancy firm you decide to hire.

If you're interested in hiring a digital marketing consultant to help bring your business to the next level, check out our marketing consulting services to see what kind of value Speers Marketing can provide to your business!