June 14, 2012
Should You Hire a Marketing Consultant?
There’s no doubt that marketing is an important part of every business. If you’re considering hiring a marketing consultant, keep the following tips in mind.
The Nuts and Bolts
When working with a marketing consultant, it’s best if you can provide the computer and software for your consultant. And, if they’re working off-site, you’ll want to make sure you have access to their computer from your office.
Back it Up
In addition to performing regular back-ups of your marketing consultant’s computer, you’ll want to ensure that any deliverables are stored safely on your office network immediately after receiving them.
Stay Engaged
Make sure you put regular monitoring of any social media your company is using into your schedule. This is your business after all, so you’ll want to ensure you’re keeping up on the image you’re projecting to your customers — both current and potential.
Communicate
Stay in regular communication with your marketing consultant. Work toward an open, positive and productive working relationship. If any discussion points arise (tweaks to blog posts, changes to tone of tweets, adding promotions or information to facebook), you’ll have a good foundation for helping your consultant build the marketing platform you’re looking for.
Contract, Contract, Contract
One of the most important aspects of any contractor relationship is the contract. Outline in detail what is expected from both parties, from projects, job duties, working hours, timelines, deadlines, payment plans, etc. A contract ensures you and your marketing consultant are on the same page. You’ll also want to include restrictions on sharing trade secrets, client poaching, and other things that could hurt your business.
Consider Using a Firm
One option is to hire a reputable online marketing and SEO firm instead of a marketing consultant. Whatever you would have paid a consultant, you can put toward a fee for the firm’s services.
Consult an Attorney
Today’s fast-paced social media and internet marketing arena makes marketing a cutthroat business, and you want to make sure your business is protected from piracy of digital source information, misuse of Twitter accounts, and client poaching. If you need help developing a solid, clear employment contract, our experienced and professional attorneys at Dan Miller Law can help. Give us a call at 816-875-0470, or fill out our web submission form for more information.