What to Expect When Working with a Marketing Consultant

Here's What Actually Happens (No Sugarcoating)

So you've decided to hire a marketing consultant. Now what?

I get asked this question a lot, usually by business owners who've never worked with a consultant before and aren't sure what they're getting into. They want to know what the process looks like, how long things take, and what they need to do on their end.

Here's the straight answer: working with a good marketing consultant should feel like having an experienced guide who knows the terrain, can spot problems before they become expensive mistakes, and helps you reach your destination faster than you could on your own.

But - and this is important - it's not magic. It requires effort from both sides, realistic expectations about timelines, and clear communication about goals and constraints.

I'm going to walk you through what actually happens when you work with a marketing consultant, from the first conversation through seeing real results. I'll tell you what you should expect from them, what they'll expect from you, and how to make the relationship successful.

Because here's what I've learned after years of doing this: the consulting relationships that work best are the ones where everyone understands the process upfront.

The First 30 Days: Discovery and Strategy

The beginning of any good consulting relationship involves a lot of questions and some uncomfortable truths.

Week 1: The Deep Dive Discovery

Your consultant should want to understand your business at a level that might surprise you. This isn't just "What's your target market?" This is:

Business Operations: How do you actually make money? What are your profit margins? Where do leads come from now?

Customer Journey: How do people find you, evaluate you, and decide to buy? What's your sales process like?

Current Marketing: What are you doing now? What's working? What isn't? Where are you spending money?

Competition: Who are you really competing against? What are they doing that's working?

Resources and Constraints: What's your budget? Who's available to implement? What are your technical limitations?

I learned the importance of thorough discovery back when I was managing corporate events in Chicago. The events that went smoothly were the ones where I asked every possible question upfront. The disasters happened when I made assumptions about what the client needed.

Week 2-3: Strategy Development

This is where your consultant goes away and creates recommendations based on what they learned. You might not hear from them much during this period - that's normal. They're synthesizing information and developing strategic approaches.

Good consultants don't just copy what worked for their last client. They create strategies specific to your business, industry, and goals.

Week 4: Strategy Presentation and Refinement

You should get a comprehensive presentation of recommendations, including:

Strategic Framework: The overall approach and reasoning Tactical Recommendations: Specific actions to take Timeline and Priorities: What to do first, second, third Resource Requirements: What you'll need to implement Success Metrics: How you'll know if it's working

This isn't a take-it-or-leave-it presentation. Good consultants expect questions, pushback, and refinement based on your feedback.

What You Should Expect From Your Consultant

Lots of Questions: If they're not asking detailed questions, they're not doing their job properly.

Industry Research: They should understand your competitive landscape and industry dynamics.

Clear Recommendations: Vague advice like "improve your social media" isn't good enough. You should get specific, actionable recommendations.

Honest Assessment: If your current marketing isn't working, they should tell you why and what needs to change.

What They'll Expect From You

Time and Availability: Discovery calls, feedback sessions, and strategy meetings require your participation.

Honest Information: Don't try to make your business sound better than it is. They need accurate information to give good advice.

Decision-Making Authority: Someone needs to be empowered to make decisions and approve recommendations.

Realistic Expectations: Strategy development takes time. Rushing this phase usually leads to poor results later.

Want to see examples of what thorough discovery and strategy development looks like? I share behind-the-scenes insights about our process on Instagram where we break down real client transformations.

Months 2-3: Implementation and Early Optimization

This is where strategy meets reality, and it's often messier than people expect.

The Implementation Phase Reality

Nothing Goes Exactly According to Plan: Your website might take longer than expected. The designer might need revisions. Your industry might have regulations you didn't consider.

You'll Need to Make Decisions: Color choices, copy approval, budget allocation, timing decisions. Good consultants guide these decisions, but you're the business owner.

Results Aren't Immediate: You're building foundation during this period. Some tactics (like SEO) take months to show results. Others (like paid advertising) might show quicker impact but need optimization.

What Good Implementation Looks Like

Regular Communication: Weekly or bi-weekly check-ins about progress, challenges, and decisions needed.

Clear Project Management: You should know what's happening when, who's responsible for what, and how things are progressing.

Quality Control: Good consultants review work before you see it and ensure everything aligns with the strategy.

Flexibility: When something isn't working or circumstances change, good consultants adapt rather than blindly following the original plan.

Common Implementation Challenges

Resource Constraints: "We need professional photos" becomes "We don't have budget for professional photos this month."

Technical Complications: "Let's add this feature to your website" becomes "Your platform doesn't support that feature."

Timeline Pressures: "We planned to launch in 30 days" becomes "The designer is backed up for 6 weeks."

Internal Resistance: "The team loves this new approach" becomes "Half the staff thinks this is unnecessary."

Good consultants help you navigate these challenges rather than abandoning ship when things get complicated.

Your Role During Implementation

Provide Feedback Quickly: Delayed approvals slow everything down and increase costs.

Communicate Constraints: If budget, timeline, or resource constraints emerge, speak up immediately.

Stay Involved: You can't delegate implementation entirely and expect good results.

Trust the Process: Some things need to be completed before you can judge effectiveness.

Months 4-6: Optimization and Momentum Building

This is where good consulting relationships really prove their value.

What Optimization Actually Means

You're not starting from scratch anymore. You have systems running, data coming in, and initial results to analyze. Now you're making the successful elements work better and fixing or replacing what isn't working.

Data-Driven Decisions: Instead of guessing, you're making changes based on actual performance data.

Incremental Improvements: Small changes that improve conversion rates, reduce costs, or increase engagement.

Scaling What Works: Putting more budget and effort behind tactics that are showing positive results.

Eliminating What Doesn't: Stopping activities that aren't contributing to your goals.

Realistic Timeline Expectations

Month 4: You should see early indicators - increased website traffic, more social media engagement, better lead quality.

Month 5: Some tactics should be showing measurable results - improved search rankings, higher email open rates, increased inquiries.

Month 6: You should see business impact - more qualified leads, increased sales, improved customer acquisition cost.

Important: These timelines vary significantly based on your industry, starting point, and chosen tactics. SEO takes 6-12 months to show major results. Paid advertising can show results in weeks but needs ongoing optimization.

Red Flags During This Phase

No Data or Reporting: You should have clear visibility into what's working and what isn't.

Resistance to Changes: If tactics aren't working, good consultants adapt. Stubbornly continuing failed approaches is a problem.

No Improvement Over Time: Results should generally trend upward, even if slowly.

Lack of Strategic Thinking: Random tactical changes without strategic reasoning suggests poor consulting.

For insights on what successful optimization looks like and how to measure progress effectively, follow our LinkedIn page where we share detailed performance analysis and improvement strategies.

Month 6+: Long-term Partnership and Growth

The best consulting relationships evolve into long-term strategic partnerships.

What Long-term Consulting Relationships Look Like

Strategic Advisory Role: Your consultant becomes someone you turn to for major business decisions that affect marketing.

Continuous Optimization: Ongoing refinement and improvement of marketing systems.

Adaptability: Adjusting strategies based on business growth, market changes, or new opportunities.

Proactive Recommendations: Good consultants identify opportunities and threats before they become urgent.

How the Relationship Changes

Less Hand-Holding: Your team becomes more capable of executing day-to-day activities independently.

More Strategic Focus: Conversations shift from tactical implementation to strategic planning and optimization.

Deeper Business Integration: Marketing strategy becomes more integrated with overall business strategy.

Expanded Scope: As results prove value, you might expand the consulting relationship to new areas or initiatives.

When to Evaluate the Relationship

Every 6 Months: Formal review of results, ROI, and relationship satisfaction.

When Business Changes: New locations, product launches, market expansions, or competitive threats.

When Results Plateau: If growth stagnates, it might be time to reassess strategy or approach.

When Costs Don't Match Value: Regular evaluation of cost vs. benefit to ensure continued value.

Communication: How Often and About What

Good communication makes or breaks consulting relationships.

Typical Communication Cadence

Weekly Check-ins (Month 1-3): During active implementation, expect frequent contact about decisions, approvals, and progress updates.

Bi-weekly Calls (Month 4-6): As systems stabilize, communication typically shifts to every other week for optimization discussions.

Monthly Strategic Reviews (Month 6+): Established relationships often move to monthly strategic planning and performance review calls.

Emergency Access: Good consultants are available for urgent issues, but "urgent" shouldn't be everyday occurrences.

What Communication Should Cover

Progress Updates: What was accomplished, what's in progress, what's coming next.

Performance Data: Results, trends, and analysis of what the data means.

Decisions Needed: Approval requests, strategic choices, and resource allocation decisions.

Challenges and Solutions: Problems that have emerged and recommended solutions.

Opportunities: New ideas, market changes, or optimization opportunities.

Communication Red Flags

Consultant Disappears: Long periods without communication suggest poor project management or overcommitment.

Only Bad News: If every conversation is about problems and delays, either the consultant is poor at managing expectations or the project is poorly planned.

No Strategic Thinking: If discussions are only about tactical execution without strategic context, you're not getting consulting value.

Defensive About Questions: Good consultants welcome questions and provide clear explanations.

What Success Actually Looks Like (Spoiler: It's Not Always Linear)

Let me set realistic expectations about what success looks like.

Early Success Indicators (Months 1-3)

Improved Organization: Your marketing feels more systematic and strategic rather than random.

Better Data: You have clearer visibility into what's working and what isn't.

Increased Activity: More consistent content creation, regular campaign execution, systematic follow-up.

Team Confidence: Your team feels more confident about marketing decisions and execution.

Intermediate Success Indicators (Months 4-6)

Measurable Improvements: Website traffic increases, email engagement improves, social media grows meaningfully.

Lead Quality: You're attracting more qualified prospects who are easier to convert.

Efficiency Gains: Marketing activities require less of your personal time and attention.

Competitive Positioning: You're more visible in your market and competitive with other businesses.

Long-term Success Indicators (6+ Months)

Business Impact: Increased revenue, better customer acquisition cost, higher customer lifetime value.

Market Position: Improved brand recognition, thought leadership, competitive advantage.

Scalability: Marketing systems that can grow with your business without proportional increases in effort.

Strategic Integration: Marketing strategy that supports and accelerates overall business goals.

Why Success Isn't Always Linear

Market Conditions: Economic changes, seasonal patterns, competitive actions affect results.

Learning Curves: New tactics often get worse before they get better as you optimize approaches.

Business Changes: Growth, new products, market expansion can temporarily disrupt established patterns.

External Factors: Algorithm changes, industry regulation, technology shifts require strategy adjustments.

Good consultants help you understand these patterns and maintain perspective during temporary setbacks.

Connect with other business owners sharing their consulting experiences and success stories on our Facebook page where we discuss real challenges and celebrations from the small business community.

How to Be a Great Client (Yes, This Matters)

The best results come from great partnerships, not just great consultants.

What Great Clients Do

Provide Clear Context: Share relevant business information, constraints, and goals honestly and completely.

Make Decisions Promptly: Respond to requests for approval, feedback, and direction within agreed timeframes.

Trust Expertise: Hire experts and let them do what they do best rather than micromanaging every detail.

Communicate Changes: Alert consultants immediately when business priorities, budgets, or constraints change.

Ask Questions: Great clients ask for clarification when they don't understand recommendations or reasoning.

What Great Clients Don't Do

Change Scope Constantly: Frequent strategy changes prevent momentum and waste resources.

Skip Agreed Processes: Trying to shortcut discovery or planning phases usually creates problems later.

Disappear During Implementation: Delegation doesn't mean abandonment. Stay involved appropriately.

Judge Too Quickly: Allow sufficient time for tactics to show results before demanding changes.

Withhold Information: Hiding constraints, problems, or relevant business information leads to poor recommendations.

Setting Up Success From Day One

Define Success Clearly: What does success look like for your business? Be specific about goals and timelines.

Establish Communication Preferences: How often, through what channels, about what topics?

Clarify Decision-Making: Who approves what? What's the process for changes or additional requests?

Set Budget Boundaries: Be clear about budget constraints and how additional costs should be handled.

Agree on Metrics: What will you measure and how will you measure it?

Red Flags: When Things Aren't Working

Sometimes consulting relationships don't work out. Here's how to recognize problems early.

Communication Red Flags

Consistently Missed Deadlines: Occasional delays happen. Consistent lateness suggests poor project management.

Vague Progress Reports: "Everything's going well" isn't specific enough. You should get concrete updates.

Defensiveness About Questions: Good consultants welcome questions and provide clear explanations.

Unavailable When Needed: If you can't reach your consultant when urgent issues arise, that's a problem.

Strategic Red Flags

No Adaptation to Results: If tactics aren't working but the consultant won't adjust approach, that's concerning.

Cookie-Cutter Solutions: Strategies that could apply to any business probably aren't thoughtful enough for yours.

No Industry Understanding: Consultants should understand your industry's unique challenges and opportunities.

Focus on Activities Instead of Results: Reporting on what was done rather than what was achieved suggests wrong priorities.

Relationship Red Flags

Poor Chemistry: If communication feels strained or unproductive, address it directly or consider changes.

Misaligned Expectations: If you consistently disagree about priorities, timelines, or approaches, clarify expectations.

Lack of Business Understanding: Consultants should understand your business model and constraints.

No Improvement Over Time: If the relationship isn't getting smoother and more effective, something needs to change.

When to Address Problems vs. When to Move On

Address First: Communication issues, misaligned expectations, scope creep, and timeline concerns.

Move On: Fundamental competency issues, major personality conflicts, or consistent failure to deliver promised results.

Your Roadmap: What to Expect When

Here's your month-by-month roadmap for working with a marketing consultant:

Month 1: Foundation Setting

• Week 1-2: Discovery and business analysis

• Week 3-4: Strategy development and presentation

• Deliverable: Comprehensive marketing strategy and implementation plan

• Your Role: Provide information, ask questions, approve strategic direction

Month 2-3: Implementation Launch

• Focus: Setting up systems, creating initial content, launching campaigns

• Communication: Weekly check-ins and decision points

• Your Role: Timely approvals, feedback, and resource coordination

Month 4-6: Optimization and Growth

• Focus: Analyzing results, optimizing tactics, scaling successful approaches

• Communication: Bi-weekly strategic calls and monthly performance reviews

• Your Role: Strategic input and investment decisions based on results

Month 6+: Strategic Partnership

• Focus: Long-term planning, market expansion, competitive positioning

• Communication: Monthly strategic planning and quarterly business reviews

• Your Role: Strategic partner providing business insight and growth direction

The key is understanding that each phase requires different things from both you and your consultant. Success comes from playing your role effectively and holding your consultant accountable for playing theirs.

Ready to start your consulting journey with realistic expectations? Here's what to read next:

• How to Choose a Marketing Consultant for Your Small Business - Finding the right consultant who will deliver these results.

• Small Business Marketing Consultant Cost: What You Should Expect to Pay - Understanding the investment required for this level of support.

• 5 Signs Your Small Business Needs a Marketing Consultant - Confirming you're ready for this partnership.

Want to discuss what working together would actually look like for your specific business? I believe in setting clear expectations from the start so everyone knows what success looks like. Let's have an honest conversation about your goals, timeline, and what you can realistically expect from a consulting partnership.