6 Tips for Effectively Working With a Marketing Contractor
We often talk about what makes a contractor a good fit for a small business (are they reliable, do they understand your needs, do they perform quality work), but there's one thing that we do not think about often enough:
What makes a small business a good fit for a contractor?
Suppose you are considering hiring an independent contractor to take over the functions in your business that you do not have the time or the skills to complete yourself. In that case, it is just as important to think about your role in the relationship as the client.
As a marketing contractor, I take my relationships with my clients seriously. What this means is that I look behind our ability to "click" and my ability to provide the services that they need, but also thoroughly assess whether or not they have the tools, communication skills, and mindset required to be a good client.
In the following, I provide six tips for how you can effectively work with a marketing contractor to maximize your business relationship while your small business continues to thrive:
1. Have your budget ready.
First things first, take a look at your budget. Is marketing already included in that budget? If so, how much of that budget will you spend on a contractor? If not, where can you redirect funds to make room for a contractor?
A marketing contractor's cost can vary vastly depending on their experience level, what services they offer, and their location. Therefore, it is a good idea to know your budget before you speak with them and how much "wiggle room" you have for added services or unexpected expenses.
If you need help with creating a budget or determining whether your budget is sufficient, check out this article from Salesforce.com on how to create a marketing budget for a small business.
2. Have your brand assets in order.
One of the most important things you will probably share with your marketing contractor is the information about your small business brand: Your logo, color palette, fonts, slogan, brand guidelines, brand story, and business promise (if you have one). Your "brand assets" are essential for your marketing consultant to be able to create content, work on web projects, and plan events where your business will be represented, among other projects.
That said, you want them to have all these things available in one convenient place where they can quickly access it without always reaching out to you. I recommend creating one digital folder with shared access that includes all of this information and sharing it with them before your first day working together. More than likely, they will require it as a part of their client onboarding process.
3. Know your passwords.
With much of marketing being done digitally via social media and other online platforms, there is a constant need to share passwords. Passwords are needed to log into email, social media accounts, e-newsletter platforms, blogs, CRM systems, and business websites. If the plan is to have your marketing contractor take over tasks for any of the above, they will likely need access to each of their passwords.
With hacking and cyberattacks on the rise, sharing passwords via email or phone is not the most excellent idea. I recommend using password-sharing programs such as 1Password or TeamPassword to safely share them with your marketing contractor without sharing your actual password.
4. Have your ducks in a row.
Before their first day, it helps to have a good handle on priorities. What do you need them to work on first? Do you have all the information they will need ready to share so they can do their job effectively from the start? Do they have access to all of the programs that they need? Is there a particular routine or schedule they need to follow, or are they free to do things on their own time?
All of the above is something to consider and think about before they come on board and then thoroughly discuss with them once the relationship begins. The more organized you are as a client, the easier it is for your contractor to stay on top of things.
5. Know what you want to get out of the relationship.
This is perhaps the most important tip. Know your goals and what you want to get out of your relationship with the contractor. Are you bringing them on board so that you have more time to work on other things, or do you need them to help you reach a numerical goal (i.e., number of followers, newsletter signups, event attendees, sales conversions, etc)? How will you measure whether or not they are successful at their role?
I've come across many businesses that call for help, but once the marketing contractor is on board, they don't have a clear idea of where they want to go but want the consultant to help them get there. It helps to list your exact goals and where you would like to be in a day, week, month, or year. Then, meet with the consultant to determine how their services can meet you halfway in reaching those goals.
This leads me to the last tip...
6. Make time for them.
If you do not have time to meet with your marketing contractor at least once a month (whether virtually or online), you will unlikely have enough communication to meet your marketing goals. Effectively working with a marketing contractor requires carving time out of your schedule regularly to touch base about your needs and the projects that must be completed.
I recommend a minimum of an hour per month to discuss your priorities and pending projects, what is going well, and what improvements need to be made. Client meetings are also an excellent time for your contractor to ask any questions that they have and to update you on any new marketing trends and opportunities that may exist.
So, before you start your search for a marketing contractor to help out with your small business, it helps to take some time to consider the questions above. The more prepared you are before starting the relationship, the smoother things will go when you find that perfect person to come on board!
Are you in need of some marketing help in your small business?
Let's chat to see if LMR Consulting is a good fit!