5 Things to Consider When Hiring a Brand Consultant
A brand consultant is an external advisor that founders hire to help build, audit, or enhance their brands. The best consultants combine a skillset of marketing, branding, and creative — providing a comprehensive, strategic approach that covers all facets of marketing, brand strategy, and creative.
As a brand consultant, I work with my clients to:
Gain clarity in their brand vision, strategy, and direction.
Create a brand elevation roadmap with key milestones and a step-by-step plan.
Craft a refined creative direction that enhances and elevates their business.
Build an authentic, exceptional brand experience that resonates with both them and their audience.
“Branding is the process of connecting good strategy with good creativity.”
Why you may need a brand consultant:
Below are common reasons you may need the expertise of a brand consultant:
You need help refining your brand vision, elevating your brand visuals, and streamlining your brand experience
Your business is experiencing amazing growth — and you need your brand to grow with it
You want to position your brand in a certain category, but don’t know where to start
Your current branding doesn’t feel right — maybe you’ve outgrown your DIY brand, or your ideal audience isn’t fully resonating with your current brand presence
You’ve never formally created a brand strategy, but know that having one is the key to brand success
Overall, brand consultants are best suited for founders ready to take action to scale their business & brand, and are looking to hire external help to achieve their goals. They’ve likely already validated their product/service, built an engaged audience, and are making steady revenue, and are looking to take things to the next level through the 1:1 help of a branding expert.
Things to consider when hiring a brand consultant:
1- Where are you wanting your business to go?
If you close your eyes and envision your future business, what does it look like? What are you working towards? How do you want your business to grow? These are important things to think about and mention during an initial conversation with your brand consultant, so they can keep this top of mind and help you work towards your vision.
2- Who are you trying to target?
Who is your ideal client or customer? If you are unsure, your brand consultant can help you define you idea target audience, but it is helpful to at least have somewhat of an idea in mind.
Remember: your ideal client / customer should be at the forefront of everything your brand does.
3- What type of brand are you hoping to build?
Take inventory of where your brand is at now. How do you currently feel about your brand? What are you hoping to feel about your brand? What type of brand image do you want to portray? Look for a consultant that aligns with your values and the type of brand you’re looking to create.
For example, I help my clients position themselves as premium brands in their industries. My services may not be the right fit for someone trying to create a more conventional, mass-appeal product or service.
4- What do you want to achieve?
Think about what’s not working for you right now. How are you hoping a consultant can help you change the things not working to help get your brand and business to where you want it to go?
Brand consultants are their most helpful when there is an identifiable problem that needs solving — are you wanting more aligned client leads? More product sales? An elevated brand presence in general? Make sure you identify exactly what you are wanting to achieve with brand consulting, and your consultant will help you create a roadmap for exactly how to get there.
5- Are you ready to invest?
Brand consulting is an investment that will give you amazing returns if you are dedicated to the process. Are you at a point in your business where you are ready to invest in a consultant that will help you take things to the next level?
Looking to invest in brand consulting?
Click below to learn more about how I help my clients elevate their brands:
