Throughout this article, we'll be looking at what a marketing coach is, what they have to offer, and whether it may benefit you to work with one.
What does a marketing coach do?
A marketing coach is someone who works with you to understand what drives you, what your values are, and what your vision is for your business.
They'll use their expert marketing knowledge, working closely with you and your team, to develop marketing plans and strategies with the objective of achieving your goals.
Marketing coaching will help you to understand the reasons behind your vision that are driving you every day, as well as help you create the means and process you need to take your business to the next level.
The beauty of working with a marketing coach is the wealth of knowledge they bring to the table.
Marketing your business will be essential to your success, but knowing the best strategy and how to implement it is something marketers take years to learn. For a business owner whose skills don't lie in marketing, it can feel like scary, uncharted territory.
When you find a marketing coach you trust, they will be able to provide support and advice to benefit your business and you personally. With their experience, you'll be able to create a strategy and process you can follow and really start to make things happen.
What's the difference between a coach and a consultant?
There are lots of similarities between a marketing coach and a marketing consultant. It's likely both are marketers with marketing qualifications, with the main objective of helping you achieve your goals.
A marketing coach
Is more likely to work one-to-one with you as the business owner. They will help you find clarity and help you uncover deep opinions and beliefs you have which could be getting in your way.
They offer support and guidance, taking an advisory role to help you make decisions. They will also share tools and resources to help take you from the place you are now, to where you want to be.
Who is marketing coaching for?
A marketing coach tends to work directly with the business owner. It may just be you or a small team in the business, looking for a marketing expert to take an advisory role. Someone you can trust to bounce ideas off of and check in with, share thoughts, and seek opinions. A coach can help you make decisions and make things happen.
A marketing consultant
Will have the same objective in helping their client meet their goals, but they tend to take more of an instructor role and will set out a tactical plan for you to follow.
They tend to implement specific strategies and tactics, not necessarily bespoke to the business. Their approach will be less based on the mindset of the client and focus on the means needed to hit goals and targets.
Who is a marketing consultant for?
A marketing consultant is usually more suited to a larger business where there can be several departments involved in the direction of the company.
They work well with businesses that purely need marketing strategy advice and direction, focusing on money and financial targets. They can be an invaluable addition to a marketing team who are then able to implement what the consultant sets in place.
Why do people have a marketing coach?
Generally, people start working with a marketing coach because the world of marketing is not where their strengths lie. By investing their time and money in marketing coaching, they are able to learn additional skills and techniques, while implementing them in the business.
Coaching gives you access to marketing knowledge without having to spend hours learning everything yourself. The coach will be working with you and giving you resources, tools, and techniques, while also being a sounding board to check ideas and fast-track your growth.
The benefit to a coach rather than learning everything you need to know about marketing yourself is they'll help you decide the right options for your business, so you don't spend time and money on the wrong type of marketing. The right coach will collapse time for you and ensure you don't waste time or money in the wrong areas.
What marketing coaching entails
Of course, every marketing coach will have their own style and approach to coaching, so it's important to find a coach who best suits you and your business.
Based on my own methods as an example, here we explore what marketing coaching entails.
Vision
To start with, I want to understand my client's world and the reasons behind their vision. I work with them to gain clarity on their WHY, their reasons for being, and the driving force behind their business.
We get clear on their marketing goals and what they want their business to achieve. From here we develop a map and blueprint that gives us a clear focus and direction for getting us from where they are right now, to where they want to be.
Implementation
Now they implement the plan with me by their side. This is where some coaching methods may vary, but for me I guide my clients through the plan we created, helping them every step of the way.
Together, we build systems, sales pages, and content. Once we've got the foundations set we work on promotion and driving traffic, scaling their business, and generating more leads and sales.
I also offer access to my team, so for projects they prefer to outsource, they have the option to do so.
Accountability
It's easy to spend a lot of time and money on the wrong things when it comes to marketing. It can also be easy to lose focus and not get things done.
Working with a marketing coach gives you accountability. As part of my coaching, I offer regular sessions with my client to help them stay on track.
Advice and guidance
Marketing coaching isn't about me telling you what to do or how to run your business. I offer my marketing knowledge to help guide and advise you. You are always in the driving seat. A good marketing coach will add value to your business as a trusted advisor and collaborator.
With my clients, I recommend tools to help make their life easier and work with them to implement the best marketing techniques tailored to them specifically. Every solution is unique in that sense.
How does working with a marketing coach work?
Again, every marketing coach is different and may offer various packages to choose from. Generally, you'll meet via Zoom for regular sessions each week or each month, the package may determine how many calls you have.
When assessing the best marketing coach to work with, consider their level of skill in the field, level of experience, and the amount of time you get to spend with them. These three things combined give you a sense of the value they can bring.
If you're interested in what my marketing coaching looks like, you can head here for further details.
I wish you luck in your search for your marketing coach. The key is to find someone who is experienced in marketing, provides ethical marketing solutions, and who you can enjoy working with.
