We are living in a world where it appears everyone is an internet marketing expert today though what are the true signs of expertise and where do the biggest companies go for help when they have billions of dollars on the line? We’ll dig into that in this blog post.

First off, to establish the foundation/reality, as with most things in life there will always be those that try to get by and fly under the radar while others are on a mission to be on that radar because they’re working their butt off and want to be the best they possibly can. This is prevalent in the food industry with top chefs as one example, though unfortunately lacking in the marketing game now.

Secondly, to break through that mindset, where do companies turn for help and who actually has the experience to come in and make a difference? Everyone has ideas though what will produce results in the end?

After nearly 20 years in the online marketing space guiding the biggest companies in the world below are some of the questions we get along with questions you should be asking when looking to hire a marketing consultant whether they’re in Los Angeles or anywhere else in the world (Miami, NYC, etc.):

Are marketing consultants worth the cost?
The right marketing consultant will always be worth their weight in gold, however finding that diamond in the rough is what’s most challenging and ties back to the purpose of this blog post. A consultant with the knowledge/ability to implement new ideas and produce results will always be worth the cost as long as the results/revenue support the investment.

For example, any hedge fund in the world will spend $1M for a consultant that has the ability to produce $2M in returns and if that’s the case why not spend $10M to get $20M?

What is the average cost of an internet marketing consultant?
Trying to put a number on the average cost for a marketing consultant is tough because rates vary between areas of expertise along with location – for example a top social media consultant in Beverly Hills may charge $300 per hour whereas a basic marketing consultant/company focused on local businesses charges $30/hr. And in the end you get what you pay for.

What are 3 examples of projects you’ve guided in the past and the results?
When searching for new solutions whether it’s a marketing consulting firm or anything else, view the relationship as if you’re dating before officially tying the knot and don’t be afraid to ask tough questions, especially around things that matter most.

If my company is going to hire your marketing firm to guide us in the future, give us 3 examples of projects you’ve successfully completed in the past. Essentially, don’t tell me what you’re doing to do, show me what you’ve already done.

How can you consult/guide my company to get us to the next level?
This is more of a vague question, but also purposeful. If a consultant has the power to be a knight in shining armor they should easily be able to articulate the approach. And if not, that’s a red flag.

The moral of the story is that we’re living in a wild world today full of smoke and mirrors, and it’s critical to find the best solutions if you want to ultimately win in the end. Hopefully this blog post sheds more light on the industry and helps guide you in the right direction.