With social media being hotter than Pompeii on a bad day and shows like House of Lies (love it!) glorifying consultants, it should be no surprise to hear that people throughout the world are looking to break into the social media consulting world. After all, it’s a pretty cool gig.

But the real question is: How viable is the dream of becoming a social media consultant? And more importantly, how does one climb to such great heights.

The way I look at it, becoming a social media consultant is like being a judge. You can’t graduate law school, pass the bar then expect to sit on the bench — it just doesn’t work that way. When it comes to marketing, you have to hit the ground running, produce actual results, and become an expert. Then, and only then, will you have the knowledge and experience to conceptualize and choreograph social media strategies.

One thing my dad always said that stuck with me is, “don’t tell me what you’re going to do, show me what you’ve done.” An effective social media consultant will have a successful track record and that success is what puts him or her in a position to offer guidance to others. The proof must reside in the pudding, and I’m sure Bill Cosby would agree.