Decoding Marketing Support: Advisors, Consultants, and Contractors Explained
Everybody needs help sometimes, especially when it comes to growing your business efficiently. We get it. You’re overwhelmed, doing too much ‘business stuff,’ not enough with the creative, and forget about taking a break. But when it comes to figuring out what kind of help you need as a small business owner – that can feel a bit sticky.
Navigating the mix of available marketing support can be complex. While it can be tempting to just hire someone to, for example, just do your social media for you, you may be missing a huge opportunity to optimize other things and define a strategy for that person that would dramatically increase their impact (and time spent).
Understanding the distinct roles of marketing advisors, consultants, and contractors is crucial in ensuring you bring on the right support at the right time. Let's dive into how each of these specialists might contribute to your business and marketing success and if they’re the right fit to help you make and execute informed decisions for your business (and where they can’t).
Marketing Advisors: Your Strategy Guru
Think of marketing advisors as the sous-chefs of your marketing strategy and “therapists” for your business anxieties. They bring the know-how to provide seasoned insights and guidance so your marketing efforts align with your business goals. With extensive experience, they offer a holistic approach that helps coach you through frameworks and best practices, equipping you to make the right decisions and feel confident doing so, both now and in the future.
Advisors are best for small business owners who:
Are frustrated with the status quo of their business and want to make changes
Need help seeing the big picture to make informed decisions
Want to understand and own the ins and outs of their own business
Seek tools and frameworks that are scalable and repeatable
Thrive with a thought partner, co-ideator, or even coach
Are dedicated to investing the time and energy into improving their business (to save time later)
Advisors tailor their work to support you. They are sure to point you in the right direction and give you the tools you need to succeed. They are here to help you align your goals and plans to save time and increase the impact of what you do. Think of them as your sous chef in figuring out the absolute best menu for the guests and occasion of your dinner party and helping to figure out how to communicate that to the rest of the kitchen.
Marketing Consultants: The Specialists for Specific Challenges
Marketing consultants are your go-to specialists for addressing specific challenges in executing your marketing strategy. They bring targeted expertise to optimize your digital marketing channels, develop a specific advertising campaign, and more. Their role is to provide solutions that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Consultants are best for small business owners who:
Are already confident with their well-defined goals and objectives
Face a specific marketing challenge requiring deep knowledge of a particular marketing niche they are unfamiliar with
Seek more short-term execution support, like setting up a system or templates
Want an external perspective to identify opportunities for improvement
Are comfortable working with someone without a deep understanding of your brand’s long-term vision
Consultants can sometimes overlap as advisors or even contractors, but they are typically more narrow in focus. Think of marketing consultants as the ones in charge of figuring out the exact recipe for executing a specific type of dish and, in some cases, making it.
Marketing Contractors: Your ‘Doers’
Marketing contractors are the operational support that keeps your marketing machine running smoothly. They handle the day-to-day tasks, from content creation to social media management, ensuring you execute marketing strategies seamlessly. Sometimes, these look like Virtual Assistants.
Contractors are best for small business owners who:
Have systems in place and their brand and marketing strategies clearly defined
Need help executing day-to-day, routine marketing tasks
Cannot commit to a full-time or part-time employee
Can provide some management and clear direction to ensure continued alignment
Contractors are the ultimate way to clear any leftover to-dos off your plate. While they are usually less experienced (and a lot less expensive) than consultants, they can also add up if they aren’t given great direction in the first place. It’s important to reconsider if they are your best ‘first hire’ in the marketing chain. Think of contractors as the ones putting the final ingredients together and sending it out to your guests.
Where to Go from Here
Navigating the marketing landscape requires a harmonious blend of strategic planning, specialized expertise, and operational support. It’s okay (and essential!) to get help where you need it. Investing in marketing advisors, consultants, and/or contractors can be daunting. Just make sure it’s the right help at the right time to protect your investment.
How does Mise en Plan fit into this trifecta? I am both an experienced advisor and consultant!
As a marketing advisor, I aim to ensure you're well-equipped to make informed and strategic decisions about your marketing - such as with The Prep Kit.
As a marketing consultant, I am here to provide an experienced outside perspective in reviewing your existing marketing for opportunities or helping find ways to save time and effort through automation systems.
Either way, I am here to make sure that you have all the pieces in place before you move forward with execution.
Ready to optimize your marketing strategy and boost your marketing’s impact? Book a free consultation or reach out to contact@miseenplan.com, and let's craft a plan that gets your business perfectly prepped for success!
