Best Marketing Consultants in Minneapolis

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a marketing consultant?

  A marketing consultant is a specialist in the marketing field who is hired when a company owner or manager wants to outsource marketing efforts. The marketing consultant collaborates with key personnel within the organization to develop marketing strategies and jump-start them into action. Some vital tasks provided by a marketing consultant include:

  • Identifying an objective for marketing efforts
  • Researching the market to identify customer needs and interests
  • Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of competitors
  • Developing a plan to reach customers and show how a product or service meets their needs
  • Implementing the marketing plan to get the message out to targeted market segments

• What is a marketing agency?

  A marketing agency is an organization that's made up of marketing professionals who each have unique skills in the marketing field, such as performing research, developing strategy, and writing advertising copy to target a specific demographic.

  The team of professionals working in a marketing agency may also have industry-specific skills, such as print media marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, and web design. Agency team members may also be videographers, campaign managers, or branding experts.

  In addition to employing different types of professionals, a marketing agency may specialize in a specific kind of marketing. Examples include digital marketing agencies, full-service agencies that provide a one-stop service for businesses, and social media marketing agencies that connect influencers with companies.

  
  

• How much is a marketing consultant?

  Marketing consultants fall under the category of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS, earn an average hourly rate of $64.34 per hour. Wages for consultants and agencies with special skills may command higher salaries, and some agencies may use a cost-plus pricing strategy based on the number of promotions developed plus a markup amount.

• What training is needed for marketing?

  A bachelor's degree is the typical level of education required for advertising, promotions, or marketing professional. Broad-based business educational programs are common for marketing professionals.

  Topics typically studied for this field include marketing, communications, journalism, and sales. Visual arts, consumer behavior, business law, and finance are also subjects commonly covered in a marketing management degree program.

• What is a digital marketing agency?

  A digital marketing agency specializes in providing marketing services that combine the latest digital technology with marketing techniques. Some offerings that separate digital marketing agencies from other types of marketing agencies include creating email marketing campaigns and helping clients establish an online brand. These agencies may also design and develop websites for clients while optimizing digital content to perform well in search engine queries.

• What does a full-service marketing agency do?

  A full-service marketing agency manages all aspects of marketing and advertising for an organization. However, some full-service agencies offer an a la carte menu of services, so business owners have the choice of which services to use. Outsourcing marketing functions to a full-service agency lets the business owner or manager focus on the core competencies that make the company special. Some specific services offered by full-service marketing agencies include:

  • Strategic planning based on market analysis
  • Choosing media forms to market products and develop the brand
  • Content creation, including copywriting, videography, and graphic design
  • Website and app development
  • Analytics to track the performance of a marketing campaign
  • Managing all aspects of advertising, both digital and in print

• What is a social media marketing agency?

  Social media marketing agencies generate marketing messages to create an experience based on content and developing long-term relationships rather than published advertising that interrupts a potential customer's experience. These agencies may hire influencers to prepare content and share it on popular social media channels. They also create sharable content and interact with bloggers to get branded content shared online.