Dealing with an electronic marketing consultant for the very first time could be a challenge due to the various factors that you might want to consider. Will they understand your business or products? How will they assist you and your team? Will they deliver about what they promise and will they be affordable?

They're all important questions that you will be seeking answers for and by doing some due diligence, you are sure to find the correct person for your business.

Listed here are 9 points you should look at as you appear to hire an electronic marketing consultant:

1. What is their experience?

There are various kinds of online marketing consultants in different sectors and you need to be sure anyone you hire has experience within your industry. Like, a B2B marketer could have different skills and experience from that is in the buyer retail sector.

So, that is a significant point to consider and you must ensure that they understand the nature of your business, industry trends and what your goals are.

2. Who have they caused before?

Look for references from past clients and check out the full listing of clients they've worked for. This should provide you with a clue of their experience because if they've caused similar businesses then you are in an advantage.

3. Which sectors have they worked in?

Some sectors overlap and an online marketing consultant that has worked within the B2B services sector will likely bring valuable skills to the buyer services sector Facebook Ads Consultant. That's because lots of the issues around the nature of services like their being intangible and being consumed during the time they are produced are very similar.

4. Are they a freelancer or agency marketer?

With the growth in Internet access around the world and fast connection speeds, it is becoming much easier to utilize clients and partners who are across the world. So an SEO freelancer in India for instance is able to offer exactly the same or a level better service when compared to a local marketer.

This has already been helped by freelance websites such as for instance People Per Hour and Elance that have 1000s of registered marketers who give you a great service. Also, the rating and review systems on these sites ensure it is easier to select a freelancer that has the skills you require.

The other two options include employing an electronic marketer or hiring an agency that has a wide range of skills and a team of experts that will assist in creating online campaigns, digital copywriting, email marketing, social media and more.

5. Where are they based?

If you choose to utilize a freelancer, it's an advantage if you're able to meet up face-to-face to talk about strategy. Like that you'll build a tougher relationship and it will ensure that you're both on the same page as regarding plans for your business.

6. What qualifications do they hold?

A degree or diploma in marketing is a good start, however it's not essential especially in the web world where experience and technical skills are far more important. However, it's important to really have the fundamental marketing skills of market research, customer and competitor analysis strategy and other skills which are taught at colleges and universities.

7. Do they've online reviews?

If you plan to utilize a freelancer or agency, then it's likely they've reviews for work they've carried out in the past. Check out these reviews to see what other clients have to say about their skills, work ethic, experience, response times and so on. Also, if you can get references from past clients that would be extra helpful for you as you make your decision.

8. What do they charge for his or her services?

Hiring a consultant should really be affordable for your business and irrespective of how excellent they are, if you cannot meet their costs then it's better to check elsewhere. Freelancers can be found at affordable rates on sites like Elance, however these sites are far more suited to one-off projects and tasks.

9. Are they published or an author?

That one is not as important as the other points because there are many marketing experts that have not published articles or even a book. Of course a marketing practitioner that is recognised being an expert and is published is just a bonus over one that is not, because they will have demonstrated deep knowledge inside their field and be respected too.