What do Digital Consultants need to do to succeed?
It’s a competitive world out there. Whether it’s management consulting or digital consulting, businesses now have more options than ever. Moreover, finding the right consultants isn’t as difficult as it used to be.
Now the question is: What does a digital consultant need to do to succeed?
Will taking a new course help? How about going to university to get a master’s degree? Oh, wait! Will a recommendation help?
In this article, we’ll discuss what a digital consultant should focus on to keep getting more work and wow their clients.
Knowledge of Various Aspects of the Digital World
Digital consulting is no walk in the park. There could be a lot of moving parts that need to be taken care of. For exampleCRM, SEO, PPC, social media advertising, influencer marketing, email marketing campaigns, copywriting, content writing, marketing automation, web design, graphic design, Google Ads, user experience, affiliate marketing, and the list can go on. Moreover, to succeed, they need at least basic competency in all the digital niches and expertise in some.
It’ll be very awkward if a client says, “Should we go for inbound marketing or direct mail?” and you, as a digital consultant, reply, “Umm, what’s inbound marketing?” Remember, you’re being hired because you know something they don’t, and they need your help to solve their problem. So, not only do you need to be well-versed, but also keep up with the new trends. Because, the digital world is very dynamic and what works today might be outdated in a few months.
Usually, most business owners don't know about the aforementioned niches. This is part of the reason why digital transformation seems like a nightmare to small and medium-sized business owners. But if these business owners find top digital consultants to work with, then they will be well-acquainted with all they need to know. It’s your job, as a digital consultant, to convince them that going digital is the answer.
The Ability to Understand the Client’s Needs and Offer the Right Solution
Every client might require a different digital solution. For example, if a company wants to start adopting digital marketing and leave the traditional methods behind. Then, the digital consultant will have to assess their situation and recommend the best digital marketing strategy. It could be using search engine optimization (SEO) best practices improving local search rankings, or investing in Google Ads to rank first for a keyword. It can also be Facebook and Instagram advertisements targeted towards a very particular niche, or anything else that involves digital marketing methods.
A digital consultant who only focuses on SEO might not have the vision to even contemplate that there are other options, such as PPC or Google Ads. Similarly, someone who only specializes in Facebook advertisements might not even consider EDM marketing—even when it’s a better option.
That’s why a top digital consultant needs to be a jack of all trades (in a good way). They need to have at least a basic knowledge of all the available options and choose the best one for their clients. Fortunately, top digital experts, who are aware of various digital solutions, can be easily found in this day and age by approaching digital expert platforms. Which brings us to the next point in this article.
Stay in Touch With a Digital Expert Platform
Just like recruitment agencies help companies find and hire new employees, digital expert platforms help businesses hire top digital experts. As a digital consultant, you can either send cold emails or call unknown companies and try to sell them your service, or you can simply join one of these digital consultant platforms. They act as a bridge between businesses and digital consultants. They can make finding new work a lot easier because, well, that’s their job—to connect digital consultants with businesses who need them.
Here’s the deal: You could be the best digital consultant in your city. But, without proper exposure and opportunities, you might never be able to come out of obscurity. We’re living in a time and place where business owners’ inboxes are filled with mails sent by people who are trying to sell them something.
As a top digital expert, it’s far better to have companies approach you, instead of the other way round. And one way to achieve this is to sign up with a digital consultant platform and let them find work for you. Meanwhile, you can focus on getting better at your own craft, learn new skills, and focus on existing clients.
Connections With Top Talent Within the Digital Consulting Niche
Let’s suppose that your expertise as a digital consultant is CRM and email marketing campaigns. You’re well-versed in using CRM software and know tips and tricks that amateurs don’t. You also know how to create successful EDMs to convert leads into sales. But here’s the catch: all the lead generation is taking place through the company’s blog. The company wants you to increase the number of leads using SEO best practices and Google Ads—something you kind of know, but you’re not sure if you can handle it alone.
This is why you always need to be in touch with digital expert platforms who can find you top digital expert in various niches. So, if you’re not very good at SEO, you can always find someone who is. Similarly, these platforms can find digital experts for you for almost every niche. Alternatively, you could also improve your network through social media or local networking events, but this could take some time.
Conclusion
There are just two secrets to succeeding as a digital consultant: Deep knowledge about digital consulting and finding someone who’ll give you the right opportunity. Being a good digital consultant depends upon your passion and commitment. However, when it comes to opportunities, you can either try to close new freelance work yourself or let a digital expert platform do it for you. When you engage with these platforms, they can look for work on your behalf so you can focus on other aspects of your freelancing career.
