Marketing Consulting

Marketing consulting is one of those odd titles that many people bestow to themselves, largely because it's undefinable. I mean, truthfully, what does a "marketing consultant" really do?

I can't answer for everyone - I can only tell you what I personally do in regards to marketing consulting. And that is this:

• I come up with great ideas.
  
  
• I'll "see" things that you won't see in regards to business success, whether it's a website for a small business, your customer service, or a major retail store's checkout line.
  
  
• I will be 100% honest with you, 100% of the time. Since I am not depending on you for my long-term employment, health benefits, or other perks that keep people from saying what they truly think, I really have nothing to lose by giving you my honest opinion.

Truthfully, that's what marketing consulting really is - it's about opinions. It's about what I think in regards to your business / strategy / direction. To tell you right up front, I'm all about honesty, simplicity, clarity, and the like. All of my opinions, advice, and strategies usually fall along those lines. Nothing confusing here.

So.... why hire me for this stuff? Well, because I'm good, that's why. I have been involved with a LOT of marketing successes over the years. For example:

• Many years ago, as a retail manager/buyer (with the freedom to do whatever I wanted), I took over the #7 store in a chain (out of 18), and made it #1 within several months. I did this through a series of unconventional moves, such as using new advertising mediums, holding onsite/offsite events, bringing in new products that everyone else was afraid to try, etc. I also held that #1 rank for the rest of my two-year tenure.
  
  
• I've come up with product / business names that are still around a decade later.
  
  
• I've successfully marketed/sold to both niche markets, and huge "everyman / everywoman" markets. I'm also well-versed in the latest and greatest in terms of marketing technology.
  
  
• I've marketed one-person businesses, and I've been in on brainstorming meetings with Fortune 500 companies.
  
  
• I personally make a living online. Do you know how hard (and rare) that is? And I don't mean some affiliate/scam type business - I provide a professional service, advertise it to the world via the web, people contact me through my site, and the rest is history.

I can hear you now: "ok Dan, how can I hire you?"

There are a few ways, really:

1) For small questions, you can become a copywriting client. First of all, if you need marketing help, you probably need something written anyway, even if it's just a salesletter. So in the course of our project, we almost have to talk some general marketing (which I actually enjoy). I'll "give" as much as I can here, but this comes with no promises on "how much" marketing consulting I can/will do in addition to your writing. In the end, it's up to me.

2) Visit my Facebook Page and ask me a question there. I answer writing / marketing / entrepreneurial questions there, as time permits.

3) Hire me for Marketing / Business Consulting. Hire me for exclusive "Marketing Time" and you get my full attention. For larger businesses, I can even come to you, if you want an in-person visit. I'm quite entertaining, and rates are negotiable.