There are plenty of great social media consultants out there. Unfortunately, there are also many people who think that just because they tweet twelve times a day about what they had to eat or how there’s nothing on TV, they are experts. The web is full of bad and plain out wrong advice for social media, so how can you tell the difference? How do you know when to hire a social media consultant and when to smile and back away slowly?
When hiring a social media expert, follow these 3 tips.
1. Look at Her Social Media Pages
Does she offer quality, grammatically-correct posts with valuable content, appealing videos, and entertaining tidbits? Pay close attention to how their followers react to their posts and comments. In fact, does the consultant respond to comments, Likes, and Shares?
Would you follow them?
A good consultant knows how to create engaging posts that speak directly to their audience. They know what their audience will love and respond to. Then, they’ll go a step further and continue engaging with their followers. It’s what any consultant worth her salt will do for your brand, so make sure they’re doing it for their own brand first.
If a self-proclaimed social media expert knows what she’s doing and believes her consulting services have a lot to offer, you’ll be able to see the proof right there on her pages.
2. Find Out Who Her Clients Are
You’ve seen what your potential consultant does on her own page. Now it’s time to find out what she could do for you.
Ask for samples of past projects and look at the social media pages of those clients. Are any of those clients in your industry? Do you see the same quality? Be sure to ask the consultant exactly what work she did for this client. Sometimes a consultant only gets a session or two to help a client, while other clients ask for regular sessions or even ask their consultants to take on more of a management role. Make sure you know how much of a say your consultant had in their samples.
If a consultant has trouble providing you with samples or the names of her clients, either they haven’t been doing this long, or they’re not very good at it. Occasionally, a Vivid Visual Solutions client will prefer to retain their privacy, but most are happy to share their excitement about how we’ve helped them succeed.
3. Ask for Ideas for Your Business
Every business is different, so ask what the consultant envisions for your brand. You’ll get a quick evaluation of what your brand might be missing and what it could become. Then, ask how she would measure success if she were your consultant. Unless she has concrete ways of evaluating progress, that’s a red flag.
Are you looking for an experienced social media consultant? Check out our social media profiles or contact us to find out how we can help.
