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How to Find the Best Digital Marketing Consultant in Michigan

Finding a skilled digital marketing consultant can make a huge difference in growing your Michigan business. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you find the right consultation for you. Here’s a quick summary before we get to the good stuff:

  1. Clearly define your goals
  2. Check references, reviews & testimonials
  3. Seek local expertise
  4. Evaluate their digital presence
  5. Ask for examples of work
  6. Prioritize communication skills
  7. Compare pricing
  8. Request details about tools and strategies
  9. Look for industry-specific experience
  10. Start small

10 Step Guide for Small Business Owners

Shopping for a digital marketing consultant and short on time? No problem, here’s what you need to know and what you should do:

1. Clearly Define Your Goals

As with most projects, starting by understanding what you want to achieve is important. Are you trying to improve revenue, drive more traffic or grow your brand recognition? Defining a specific goal or set of goals will help you find a consultant and aligns with your business needs.

2. Check References, Reviews & Testimonials

It’s a good idea to request and check references when you’re meeting with potential digital marketing consultants – similar to when you’re hiring a new employee. Online reviews, case studies and testimonials can also give insight into a consultant’s track record. It’s important to look for clients similar to your business to see if a consultant is a good fit.

3. Seek Local Expertise

As a Michigan business owner you know that The Mitten is a unique market with strong seasonal trends, local preferences and competitive industries. Consultants familiar with Michigan’s business landscape are more likely to resonate with your audience. In my experience this is especially true in industries like automotive and transportation because consumer preferences, knowledge etc. vary widely between different regions of the country.

4. Evaluate Their Digital Presence

Check out their digital presence. If a consultant does well at promoting their own brand, it’s a good sign they’ll do the same for you. But it’s also important to remember that the shoemaker’s kid metaphor can apply to digital marketing consultants just like any other trade. Some consultants don’t even have websites and rely on work of mouth alone.

5. Ask for Examples of Work

Make sure to ask for examples of a consultant’s work to help you set expectations for what their deliverables will look like. While many consultants can’t share specific performance metrics from other clients, they should be able to provide an idea of the results they’ve achieved and offer proof. Some consultants may have case studies available, which can provide additional insights, but keep in mind that these are often not entirely unbiased.

6. Prioritize Communication Skills

Strong communication leads to better collaboration – which is critical to successfully working with a digital marketing consultant. Look for consultants that listen to you needs and explains things thoroughly. Secrecy and avoidance are major red flags when choosing a consultant.

7. Compare Pricing

You shouldn’t base your decision solely on price, but it’s important to compare pricing between prospective consultants. Comparing services offering with pricing options will help you choose a consultant that will provide measurable value while staying within budget.

8. Request Details About Tools & Strategies

The best digital marketing consultants will be open to sharing information about their tools and strategies. It’s a good idea to ask about preferred analytics platforms, SEO tools and content management systems (CMSs). Be cautious if your requests for details are met with claims of a “secret sauce”. For example, a secretive SEO strategy utilizing blackhat tactics could spell disaster for your long-term performance.

9.  Look for Industry-specific Experience

Strategies tailored to your specific industry will deliver the best results – so make sure to look for a consultant with industry-specific experience. This is particularly important if your business serves a niche or is in a highly regulated field like healthcare.

10. Start Small

Start with a trial project, like an SEO audit or setting up Google Analytics 4, to assess their skills and reliability. Testing the waters with a digital marketing consultant is strongly encouraged before committing to larger, more critical projects.

Best Places to Find Michigan Digital Marketing Consultants

Some of the best places to find digital marketing consultants include professional networking sites like LinkedIn and freelancer platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr. Searching on Google and social media can also yield helpful results. Additionally, consider attending Michigan-based business networking events or joining local groups. Your local Chamber of Commerce is another excellent resource for connecting with reputable professionals.

Conclusions and Next Steps

Finding the perfect digital marketing consultant might take time and effort, but the payoff is well worth the investment. I hope you find these steps helpful for finding a partner who can help your Michigan business succeed.

Looking for more small business tips?

Make sure to check out AI tips for small business owners and top SEO tips for small business.

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