If you are thinking about hiring a marketing consultant or a coach, it is very easy to qualify them, ask them, “Can I see your marketing plan?” That will send some shimmers through them.
I’m dead serious about this requirement, it is really not an option. If you read any of the material most marketing coaches or consultants publish it will talk about the strategies that you need, target marketing and ideal client. But are they really just talking the talk, or are they walking the walk?
Take a look at what message are they sending. Are they practicing the same things, that they are telling you to do? Case in point, I am amazed at how many web developers that are out in the marketplace with poor websites. What I typically do is use HubSpot Grader as a guideline even as I’m talking to them on the phone. It is pretty common to see grades of less than 20. I know that HubSpot Grader is not a perfect tool to judge a website, but when the developer is missing keywords, meta tags and other obvious things that should have been incorporated, well just say, I find it quite useful for discussion purposes.
A lot of people will tell you that you need to blog. But are they doing it? Are they posting 3 to 4 times a week to make their blog effective? Ask them what keywords they would like to be found by? Are they being found? What about the subjects they are writing about, are they the subjects that interest you?
That was kind of off track for a moment, but my point of view, those things are just obvious qualifiers. But I am dead serious, ask them to look at their plan or at least a section that describes their ideal client and target market. Can they produce one? If they are not willing to update their own persona and plan…they are not serious enough about making all of the changes and investment required to move a customer up the ladder. So what do you think? Can you shake them up a little bit?
P.S. I have a special going on Marketing Plans this week, take a look!
Joe – I love that – any consultant proposing to do anything for your business, certainly marketing, should be exposed to your test.