With the digitization of the business world has come a need for top-notch professionals to help companies achieve their marketing goals. Most marketing professionals worked in internal teams or agencies a few years ago.Now, that is no longer the case. The role of the marketing consultant is a relatively new one. So, in this blog post, we will first provide a general overview of this role and explore how a consultant helps businesses.
By the end of this read, you'll also know all the skills you need to possess to become a marketing consultant.
Who is a Marketing Consultant?
A marketing consultant is usually an outsourced professional marketer hired by companies for various reasons. Nothing is left out from improving the ROI (return on investment) of certain marketing strategies to developing an entirely new marketing plan.In other words, a marketing consultant helps companies:
- Create or revise marketing strategies
- Offer innovative solutions to problems related to marketing
- Find new opportunities (market research)
- Improve the ROI of marketing strategies
- Empower brand and online presence
- Train an in-house marketing team
So, it becomes clear that becoming a marketing consultant is not easy. Let us look at the skills you need to become a marketing mentor in 2022.
7 Skills you Need to Become a Marketing Consultant
To conduct market research, explore new marketing opportunities and craft a personalized plan, you need various hard and soft skills. Even though there are more skills that can help a marketing consultant be successful, the following ones are the most important:
1. Creative Software Skills
Even though a consultant rarely spends time on design software, it is important to have extensive knowledge of creative software. For example, it is important for a professional to know how to use tools and apps like
VistaCreate to convert, edit, and optimize visuals. Such apps are extremely useful for content marketing, social media marketing, email marketing and more. At the same time, software like Excel, Word and PowerPoint are also crucial for consultants.
2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Skills
SEO is one of the most important fields in digital marketing nowadays. A top-notch consultant should have extensive knowledge of the Google algorithm and ranking. After all, more than
60% of marketers believe that SEO is the best way to generate new leads.
Likewise, domain/page authority, link structure, anchors, keywords and backlinks are only a few technical terms a consultant should be familiar with.
3. Content Marketing Knowledge
All marketers know how important content quality is for businesses. With content, businesses can create a deep relationship with their audience, engage, and ultimately convert visitors to loyal customers.
Content marketing isn’t limited to SEO-friendly blog posts. It also includes all social media posts and stories, digital resources (e.g., ebooks), videos, podcasts, and more. Therefore, a marketing consultant should be able to help a business improve its content quality.
4. Social Media Marketing Skills
It is no secret that social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram are a great marketing tool for businesses. Social media allows businesses to educate and interact with their target audience. If constructed properly, a social media marketing plan can also result in new valuable leads.
At the same time, automation and personalization are very important for social media marketing. This is exactly where a marketing consultant comes in handy. For example, with extensive knowledge over social media automation tools like Buffer, a consultant can help businesses save money and time.
5. Paid Advertising
The same is true for paid advertising. The truth is that many underestimate the power of PPC (pay-per-click) and Google ads. But, a well-crafted advertising strategy can result in one of the highest ROIs.A top-notch consultant can’t only craft a new strategy based on the target audience of a company, but also adjust it based on new opportunities.
6. Data and Analytics Skills
Data is the best way to make the correct strategic decisions. A marketing consultant needs to measure results via data and analytics platforms to adjust and evaluate any marketing plan. Google Analytics and Ubersuggest are only a few platforms that help consultants understand which marketing types work best for a business.
7. Soft Skills: Creativity and Leadership
Hard skills are not everything for a marketing consultant. To become a successful mentor, you also need certain soft skills. Creativity, confidence and adaptability are only a few of them.
At the same time, don’t forget that a marketing consultant is an experienced professional usually hired to guide a business. This is why leadership skills are crucial for your professional success.
Wrap Up
Of course, there are other skills a marketing consultant may possess. For example, email marketing, mobile marketing and e-commerce are very important to grow your customer base. In any case, becoming a top-notch marketing consultant isn't easy. It requires dedication and hard work. But it is a very rewarding and creative job that is perfect for experienced marketers who love what they do.-
