Marketing Consultant

Customers are the lifeblood of all businesses, and marketing is how companies attract them. Sales are the end result of the entire marketing process. Developing ads, writing printed materials and letters, gaining publicity, and designing sales strategies are all facets of marketing. Just developing a focused marketing plan is a demanding activity, let alone carrying out the plan. Most executives need the services of a marketing professional to produce eff ective results. Marketing consultants supply these services to small companies and fill in the gaps left by downsizing at big organizations. Even though this is the second largest category of consulting after management consulting, opportunities abound if you can produce results. If you’re a brand marketing specialist, you can virtually name your price.


Marketing materials require a sophisticated and ?exible computer setup ($4,000– $6,000). You’ll need to be able to produce drafts even if the client’s art department or an ad agency creates the final versions. You’ll spend an equal amount on marketing efforts of your own, including joining associations in which you can build a strong network. If you’re persistent and have the kind of personality that draws customers in, you can earn as much as $150,000 a year.


Above all, effective marketing takes imagination. What do potential customers want, and what kind of message will enable them to see that your client’s product is that very thing? Knowing how to create these interactions will make you a success as a marketing consultant, if you combine that expertise with an ability to scope out your client company. To prove your worth, try to highlight strengths that they may not have realized they had. You may need to structure the goals for the marketing plan and get buy-in from the executives before the ads, promos, or sales letters are developed. Be sure to get a contract with payment milestones in writing as these projects can take many months to come to fruition.

Approx. cost of start-up: $5,000 to $10,000


Approx. potential earnings: $60,000 to $150,000


Typical fees: $50 to $200 per hour; $2,000 to $4,000 to lead a workshop


Where to promote: Referrals; Web site with key marketing trends and links to related resources, plus testimonials and your client list


Qualifications: Broad expertise in marketing or specialization in one area, business savvy, high energy level, excellent written and oral communications skills, creativity, persistence


Things needed: Laptop, high-speed Internet access, laser printer, fax, copier, office furniture, business cards, letterhead, envelopes


Required staff: No


Hidden costs: Membership dues, phone bills, Internet service provider fees