How to Choose the Best Marketing Strategy Consultant

The Core Problem with Choosing a Consultant

Most businesses start looking for a marketing strategy consultant when they are already under pressure. Growth has stalled, a product launch is coming up, leadership has changed, or the budget is shrinking. Under that kind of pressure, the decision gets made too quickly: you hire whoever you know, whoever was recommended over dinner, or whoever quoted the lowest day rate.

The result: substantial fees paid for presentations nobody implements. Strategies gathering dust on a shelf. Consultants who leave zero traceable impact three weeks after the engagement ends. Simon Förstemann sees this pattern consistently — having founded 6 ventures, completed 2 exits, and worked with growth-stage companies and SMEs across Germany and the Lake Constance region for 14 years, he has sat on both sides of that table.

The Five Criteria That Actually Matter

Before engaging any marketing consultant, evaluate these five dimensions without compromise:

1. Verifiable Hands-On Experience

Anyone can learn theory. What counts: has the consultant actually built companies, managed brands, owned budgets? A consultant who has never held personal financial responsibility thinks differently from someone who has made decisions with their own money at risk. In 7 out of 10 cases where consulting engagements fail, the root cause is that the consultant's advice was structurally sound in theory but not executable in the client's real operational context.

2. Concrete, Documented Results

Not testimonials — numbers. What changed? Over what timeframe? With what resources? A strong marketing strategy consultant can answer that precisely. If the answer stays vague ("we improved brand perception significantly"), treat that as a clear signal to keep looking.

3. Who Actually Does the Work

At larger consulting firms, the standard model is: senior partners win the engagement, junior staff execute it. That is not a quality indicator. Ask explicitly: who sits in the working sessions? Who delivers the analysis? Who picks up the phone when something goes wrong at 5pm on a Friday?

4. Fit With Your Company Stage

A consultant who primarily works with enterprise clients thinks in different structures than someone who regularly works with SMEs and scale-ups. The methods differ, the available resources differ, and the required decision speed differs significantly. A Fortune 500 framework applied to a 40-person SME typically creates friction, not growth. Match the consultant to your actual situation, not their most impressive client logo.

5. Transparent Pricing Structure

Hourly rates, project fees, retainer models — each has its logic and its right context. The problem is not the model itself, but consultants who leave their pricing structure deliberately vague or only clarify costs once the project is already running. A good marketing consultant can tell you upfront exactly what they charge and what you get in return.

Red Flags: Walk Away When You See These

• The consultant presents solutions before they have understood your business
• You receive a templated slide deck with your company logo swapped in rather than something built for your situation
• Vague promises like "more visibility" or "better positioning" with no measurable definition attached
• No clear answer on who will operationally execute the work
• References not available on request, or only in anonymised form
• No curiosity about what has already been tried and why it did not work
• Immediate focus on execution tactics before any diagnosis or strategic framing

The Right Questions for Your First Call

The first call serves both sides as a mutual assessment. Use it actively, not passively. These questions consistently produce answers that reveal more than any reference list:

• What are three concrete results you have delivered for clients in the last two years — with actual numbers?
• Looking back at a past project, what would you do differently?
• What happens if the agreed targets are not reached?
• Who besides you will work on this project, and in what capacity?
• How do you work with existing internal teams — do you complement them or replace them?
• When do you tell a prospective client that you are not the right person for their problem?

A consultant who hesitates on "what would you do differently?" either lacks genuine experience or lacks interest in honesty. Both are problems. The answer to that single question often tells you more about the consultant's character than a 45-minute polished presentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most important criteria when selecting a marketing strategy consultant?

The five criteria that matter: verifiable hands-on experience (has the consultant actually built or run a business?), concrete measurable results presented as numbers not testimonials, clarity on who does the actual work, fit with your company's stage (SME vs. enterprise thinking differs substantially), and transparent pricing with no mid-project surprises.

What red flags should I watch for with marketing consultants?

Walk away if the consultant presents solutions before understanding your business, delivers templated presentations with your logo swapped in, makes vague promises without measurable targets, cannot name who will execute the work, cannot provide references on request, shows no interest in what has already been tried, or jumps straight to execution tactics before strategy and diagnosis.

Is marketing strategy consulting worth it for SMEs and small businesses?

Yes — when the right consultant is chosen. The risk is not the cost of consulting but the cost of the wrong consultant. Simon Förstemann's clients have achieved an average revenue increase of +74% within 16 months, which illustrates the potential return when strategy and execution are properly aligned. The fee pays for itself many times over with the right fit.

What should I ask in the first call with a marketing consultant?

Ask for three concrete results with actual numbers, what they would do differently on a past project, how they handle missed targets, who specifically will work on the project, how they collaborate with internal teams, and when they decline a prospective client. How a consultant answers these questions reveals more than any polished pitch or reference list.

What is the difference between a marketing agency and a marketing consultant?

An agency executes: campaigns, ads, content, production. A consultant diagnoses and sets strategy: which markets, which positioning, which channels, in which sequence. The best outcome is often a consultant who defines the strategy and a capable agency that executes it. Problems arise when agencies are asked to set strategy without the diagnostic depth to do it properly.

How can I tell if a marketing consultant has real experience or just theory?

Ask directly: have they personally built, led, or held P&L responsibility for a business — not just consulted on one. Simon Förstemann founded 6 ventures and completed 2 exits before consulting full-time. Consultants who have never carried personal financial risk think differently from those who have. Theory and practice produce very different advice, especially under pressure.