FORBES, FEATURED
This article was originally published on Forbes.com on July 28, 2025
Bringing in a marketing consultant for the first time can be an exciting step for an organization, but it also requires intention and preparation to be successful. The right approach can turn a short-term engagement into a game-changing growth opportunity.
So, how can companies ensure they’re building a strong, productive relationship from day one? Here, Forbes Communications Council members share their best advice for setting clear expectations and staying aligned throughout the entire partnership.
OUR TAKE:
7. Be Clear About The Definition Of Success
When working with a marketing advisor, be clear on what defines success. What are your business objectives? And what do you envision the results to look like? Be specific. Define types of customers and what defines a lead. Give your advisor an opportunity to be a partner with you by both sharing your expectations and being open to feedback on what's most practical. This will ensure mutual success. - Rachel Kule, Pursuit PR
FULL ARTICLE:
Bringing in a marketing consultant for the first time can be an exciting step for an organization, but it also requires intention and preparation to be successful. The right approach can turn a short-term engagement into a game-changing growth opportunity.
So, how can companies ensure they’re building a strong, productive relationship from day one? Here, Forbes Communications Council members share their best advice for setting clear expectations and staying aligned throughout the entire partnership.
1. Ask For A Short Outline Of Deliverables
Ask the marketing consultant to outline the deliverables they expect to achieve in one or two pages. Don't allow a 60-slide deck or a long document to obscure reality. Ask for a specific summary, and you are more likely to align early in the relationship. - Bob Pearson, The Next Practices Group
2. Treat Your Consultant Like Part Of The Team
Share relevant information openly, including past data, audience insights, competitive analyses and budget constraints. The more they know, the more impactful their recommendations will be. Also, ensure your team is available and engaged; a lack of availability or preparedness will lead to mismatched expectations. - Kayla Spiess, Searce
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3. Give Context, Not Just Tasks
The companies that get the most value from consultants are the ones that give them context—not just tasks. Share your goals, pain points, internal dynamics, customer insights and even past failures. The more your consultant understands the "why" behind your business, the more effective and aligned their recommendations will be. - Ritu Kapoor, Observe.ai
4. Understand What Kind Of Expertise You Need
Marketing consultants, like employees, have different levels of experience. Know where you need help to get the most value. If you're looking for strategic advice to help you scale and grow, hire a fractional leader who's a proven executive-level operator across marketing functions. If you're looking to solve a specific problem, go with a single-domain expert. - Rekha Thomas, Path Forward Marketing
5. Be Transparent About Your Goals
Be clear about your goals from the start. Transparency about expectations, timelines and budget helps your marketing consultant tailor strategies that align with your vision. Treat it as a collaboration—stay engaged, provide feedback and trust their expertise to get the best results. - Kal Gajraj, Ph.D., CAN Community Health
6. View Your Consultant As A Problem-Solver
View your marketing consultant as an executive problem-solver, not a content producer. They need access to the messy middle—misaligned decks, siloed initiatives, fuzzy positioning. When you share what’s not working, they help connect the dots between the brand promise clients hear and the operational reality employees are expected to deliver. That’s when marketing starts to move the business. - Sarah Chambers, SC Strategic Communications
7. Be Clear About The Definition Of Success
When working with a marketing advisor, be clear on what defines success. What are your business objectives? And what do you envision the results to look like? Be specific. Define types of customers and what defines a lead. Give your advisor an opportunity to be a partner with you by both sharing your expectations and being open to feedback on what's most practical. This will ensure mutual success. - Rachel Kule, Pursuit PR
8. Give Access To The Information And People They Need
Treat your consultant as a true partner, not just a vendor. Be open about your challenges, set clear expectations and give them access to the information and people they need to talk to. The more trust and collaboration you build, the better their ideas and recommended solutions will fit your business—and the more value you’ll get from their relationship. - Kurt Allen, Notre Dame de Namur University
9. Loop In Your Decision-Makers
Bring your decision-makers to the table early. A consultant can deliver great ideas, but if the people who shape budget, priorities or final approval aren’t involved, momentum stalls. Looping them in upfront helps align everyone on goals, surface red flags and accelerate buy-in, so smart strategies don’t die in limbo. - Katie Jewett, UPRAISE Marketing + Public Relations
10. Open Up A Transparent Dialogue
Be radically transparent from day one—share your real pain points, internal politics, past failures and unspoken goals. Consultants can only help at the level they’re informed. When clients hold back, strategy gets diluted. Open dialogue builds trust and enables sharper, faster results tailored to the business’s true needs, not just its surface-level challenges. - Antony Robinson, Novalnet AG
11. Embrace Out-Of-The-Box Strategies
Marketing consultants often suggest bold, out-of-the-box strategies that can feel unfamiliar. Embrace this creativity and allow them access to your business data, customer insights and past campaigns. This transparency helps them craft tailored, innovative strategies, ensuring that their recommendations are rooted in your unique goals and challenges. - Lauren Parr, RepuGen
12. Separate What Is Important From What Is Urgent
While consultants are brought in for urgent execution, their most important value is the strategic positioning of the company, brands and products and the direction for marketing and communications activation for long-term differentiation. Marketing's strategic value is unlocked when the consultant is granted authority and onboarded with the executive team for collaboration. - Toby Wong, Toby Wong Consulting
13. Focus On A Singular Goal
Start by giving full access to performance data and picking one goal to focus on. When a consultant understands what matters most and sees the full picture, they can move faster, test better ideas and clearly show the value they bring. - Jamie Elkaleh, Bitget Wallet