Should you hire a Marketing Consultant? 5 questions to ask yourself
You’ve written a book and that’s amazing—but the hard work doesn’t stop there. You now need to market your work.
From drafting seemingly endless social media posts to setting up newsletter automation, creating a website to pitching to influencers. There’s a mountain of tasks waiting for you after The End.
Hiring a marketing consultant might seem like the perfect way to offload some of that stress, but before you commit, you should ask yourself these five questions to determine whether bringing in a pro is worth the investment and to determine what you precisely want them to do for or with you.
What are your marketing goals?
Do you have a specific outcome in mind, like becoming a bestseller on Amazon, or growing your email list to over 1,000 subscribers? Or is your goal less tangible, like ‘drafting a launch strategy’ or ‘building awareness’. Consultants can help with all types of marketing goals, but clarity is key.
Without a tangible goal, a consultant can’t succeed as the goalposts will always move. Before hiring a consultant, write down exactly what success looks like for you.
1,000 newsletter subscribers
Over 100 reader reviews on Goodreads
Increase book sales by 25-100%
Run a social media tour with influencers
Drive pre-orders of your next book
Build a backlist marketing strategy
Develop your social channels to get a book deal/build an audience
If you're not sure what your goal should or could be, a good consultant can help you define them—but be prepared to have the conversation from day one.
What’s your budget—and your timeline?
Marketing consultants come with varying price tags. Some charge by the day, and others charge by project. Some charge by session, while others require ongoing retainers of thousands per month.
For example, I charge £50 per 30 minutes for author coaching, which can incorporate anything from brainstorming to Amazon optimisation, copywriting to advertising. But I also charge by element for specifics, i.e. £250 for a social media audit and £500 for a detailed social media strategy. Pricing differs from consultant to consultant, and most will be open to negotiations and payment plans.
Consider how much you’re willing to spend and over what period. Are you launching a book soon and need short-term, high-impact help? Or do you want long-term support for building an author brand? Knowing your financial and time constraints will help you narrow your options and avoid the shock of a big bill, but also determine which freelance services you require and when.
Do you need strategy, implementation, or both?
Some consultants are strategists—they’ll create a customised marketing plan for you to execute. Others are hands-on and will run your ads, schedule social posts, or manage your email campaigns.
I’m a strategist—or an author coach—I would rather train an author how to do something themselves so that they don’t have to pay a freelancer, again and again, to get their books out in the market. But some authors simply don’t have the time to take on the training, they need someone to do it on their behalf.
You’ve got to find the right marketer for you. Think about what you need. If you’re already savvy about certain platforms but just need a roadmap, a strategist or a coach may be the best fit. But if the thought of running a Facebook ad campaign yourself makes you break out in hives, look for someone who offers full-service support.
How much time and energy can you invest?
Even with a consultant, you’ll still need to be involved in the process - more so if you’re working with a coach, like myself, but you’ll still need to monitor and input your decisions with a consultant who implements the campaign on your behalf.
If your schedule is packed, consider whether you have time to collaborate with a marketer effectively. A consultant’s expertise won’t matter if you’re unavailable for meetings or fail to deliver essential materials like your jacket artwork or the latest copy for the back of your book.
Do you understand your audience?
No? Then find a marketing consultant who can work with you on that. No marketer can market your book if you/they don’t know who you’re trying to reach.
Who is your ideal reader? What problems does your book solve for them? What other authors do they love? How old are they? What social channels do they use? What was the last book they read? How do they consume books?
With this information, a marketer can determine a strategic plan and make sure your budget is spent effectively. However, if you’re unsure of your audience some of that budget is likely to be needed to get an understanding of your audience (A/B testing).
Hiring a marketing consultant can be a game-changer for an author - both self-published and traditionally published - especially if you’re overwhelmed by the idea of book promotion. But it’s worth remembering that hiring a consultant is not going to guarantee sales or a bestseller flag. That requires clear goals, strategy, realistic expectations, and a willingness to learn and collaborate over time.
Any marketer that guarantees a bestseller or millions of sales is a red flag in my book!
If you decide to hire a marketing consultant, make sure to do your research. There are quite a few out there, some with valid experience and others charging market rates with little to no experience. Marketing can be developed, but if you’re going to be investing your time and money in a consultant, ensure they have the basics:
Testimonials from other publishers, authors and/or creators
Ask for case studies or examples of their past campaigns
Credentials and/or expertise within marketing or publishing
Are you considering hiring a marketing consultant? Share any questions you have in the comments or via my Contact Form and don’t forget to subscribe for more writing and marketing tips—I’d love to hear from you.
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Great advice here Eleanor. Good consultants only want to work with people who really need them!