| I heard a great line from a colleague a while back say | | | | e-commerce might cross over in many niche markets |
| he has seen so many times where the consultant | | | | it is always a better fit to find someone who has skills |
| says I have the experience and the business owner | | | | in your niche. Here's the reason why. S/he can |
| had the money, when the relationship was over it | | | | leverage existing relationships in the industry and best |
| seems like the consultant had the money and the | | | | practices. Experience saves time and money. I love |
| business owner had the "experience." How many | | | | this quote by Red Adair, "If you think it is expensive |
| business owners do you think have been there | | | | hiring a professional, just wait until you hire an amateur." |
| before? This is why so many business owners are | | | | In internet marketing or any marketing for that matter it |
| gun shy in dealing with internet marketing and | | | | is always advisable to "test" before spending the half |
| marketing in general. | | | | or whole budget on a marketing effort. The reasons |
| So how can we both avoid this "experience?" In my | | | | are pretty simple. If we know we can get results using |
| experience the best way to avoid a failed | | | | one method let's just do more of it and do it better. |
| engagement of any kind is to define goals and | | | | We can always test other markets but we want to |
| objectives. Set benchmarks where you are today and | | | | shore up what is currently working and make it much |
| where you want to be each week and month in the | | | | better. |
| internet marketing consulting engagement. Call it | | | | If the internet marketing consultant is who s/he says |
| management by objective MBO or anything else. The | | | | they are then they will have a Linked In, Facebook and |
| name of the game is you are going to get out of the | | | | Twitter account for openers. Go check them out in |
| relationship what you or your team put into it. | | | | those places. Google them. See what others are |
| Too often I have been paid for internet marketing | | | | saying about them. Are they coming up on the first |
| consultant advice to see that the client is not willing to | | | | Google search results page? The need to be. |
| either do the work or put the necessary resources | | | | Basically at the end of the day you are hiring |
| into a project. A good consultant will hold the client | | | | experience and relationships from your internet |
| accountable and hopefully the result will be a positive | | | | marketing consultant, it is easy to do short and small |
| one for both. | | | | engagements to limit any risk and get to know one |
| Skill sets in internet marketing including SEO, PPC and | | | | another. |