Friday
May022008
The Role of a Wizard of Ads Marketing Consultant...
Below is an excerpt from the article:
Unattached Marketer Seeks Self-Employed Professional For Long Term Relationship by Wizard Partner, Chuck McKay
"A good consultant stacks the odds in the client's favor by having a broad knowledge of proven marketing techniques. ...the primary values any consultant provides are perspective, and advice... Sometimes the client doesn't wish to follow that advice." So what happens then?
You see, marketing isn't art. It's not science. Its a series of decisions based on relevant case studies and historical examples. Those decisions may, or may not, predict results. So, truthfully, marketing is a gamble. A good relationship requires the client to understand, and accept, that the consultant's function is risk management.
A good consultant stacks the odds in the client's favor by having a broad knowledge of proven marketing techniques. By knowing what has worked for other businesses. By seeing the parallels between the client's issues and similar problems that other industries have solved. By recognizing not only the factors which can derail business, but also the opportunities that can help the client leapfrog over his competitors.
But, past the mechanics, the primary values any consultant provides are perspective, and advice, which brings us to the point of this writing.
Sometimes the client doesn't wish to follow that advice.
I once heard this dilemma compared to a duffer on the golf course refusing to accept the help of the club pro. When the pro advises a three iron, and the duffer insists on using a wood, the pro's choices are to tell the duffer he's on his own, or to help him to get the best shot possible with his own choice of club. “Get a good stance, keep your left arm stiff, keep your head down, be sure to follow through.”
A client I've been working with, however, will not use any club I recommend. As much as I've tried to help him get distance on his shots, he insists that I do things his way. It appears he's hoping I can execute his marketing strategy better than he did. But, even a brilliant execution of a flawed strategy still leaves a flawed strategy.
Since I don't believe that our professional relationship is benefiting his business, I can't in good conscience continue to charge him for my services. I hope we can stay friends, because I truly enjoy his company, but I have resigned the account.
A good consultant stacks the odds in the client's favor by having a broad knowledge of proven marketing techniques. By knowing what has worked for other businesses. By seeing the parallels between the client's issues and similar problems that other industries have solved. By recognizing not only the factors which can derail business, but also the opportunities that can help the client leapfrog over his competitors.
But, past the mechanics, the primary values any consultant provides are perspective, and advice, which brings us to the point of this writing.
Sometimes the client doesn't wish to follow that advice.
I once heard this dilemma compared to a duffer on the golf course refusing to accept the help of the club pro. When the pro advises a three iron, and the duffer insists on using a wood, the pro's choices are to tell the duffer he's on his own, or to help him to get the best shot possible with his own choice of club. “Get a good stance, keep your left arm stiff, keep your head down, be sure to follow through.”
A client I've been working with, however, will not use any club I recommend. As much as I've tried to help him get distance on his shots, he insists that I do things his way. It appears he's hoping I can execute his marketing strategy better than he did. But, even a brilliant execution of a flawed strategy still leaves a flawed strategy.
Since I don't believe that our professional relationship is benefiting his business, I can't in good conscience continue to charge him for my services. I hope we can stay friends, because I truly enjoy his company, but I have resigned the account.
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