Marketing Consulting
You've been paying an agency for months. The reports look good. Revenue doesn't. At some point the question surfaces: is the agency underperforming, or was hiring an agency in the first place the mistake?
The direct answer: hire a marketing consultant first, then an agency. A consultant builds the strategy. An agency executes it. In 7 out of 10 cases where marketing spend isn't producing results, the root cause is a missing or flawed strategy — not poor execution. No agency can fix that from the inside.
Both exist for a reason. Agencies are not inherently bad, and a marketing consultant is not always the better choice. The problem is that most small businesses and SMEs make this decision without understanding what the difference actually means in practice.
Simon Förstemann has seen both sides: he founded and led FORMM, an international brand agency, for several years. He knows exactly what a good agency delivers — and where it structurally hits its limits. He now works as an independent marketing consultant, advising founders and business owners 1:1. The switch was not coincidence. It was a conclusion.
Key Takeaways
An agency delivers services. It produces ads, writes content, builds campaigns, and manages channels. That is its business model — and it works, provided you already know what you want and need someone to execute it professionally.
A marketing consultant thinks alongside you. They analyse the problem, challenge the strategy, and help you make the right decisions before money is spent. They don't execute. They think ahead.
The most common — and most expensive — mistake: getting the sequence wrong. Hiring an agency before the strategy is solid. The result: well-produced work pointing in the wrong direction.
Agencies have a structural incentive problem: their revenue depends on your budget, not your results. The more you spend, the more they earn. That is not an accusation — it is a business model. But you should understand what you are dealing with.
This leads agencies to confuse activity with progress. Reach, impressions, click-through rates — all of it sounds compelling in a report. But it is not the same as revenue growth.
As an agency owner, Simon Förstemann watched clients approve budgets month after month because the reports looked strong — while revenue stayed flat. The underlying problem was not the campaigns. It was positioning. A single consulting session would have surfaced that. The agency had no incentive to recommend one.
An agency is the right choice when: you have a clear strategy and need capacity to execute it. You know your target audience, your message, and your channels — you simply need someone to deliver it professionally at scale.
An agency is the wrong choice when: you are not sure your positioning is right. When you don't know which channels will work for you. When something feels off but you can't name what. In those cases, an agency gives you well-produced noise. Not growth.
The most effective combination: a marketing consultant develops strategy and positioning. Then an agency comes in knowing exactly what to execute — with a clear brief, clear KPIs, and a clear direction.
That sounds like more effort. In practice, it costs less. Because you stop paying for well-produced work that points the wrong way.
Simon Förstemann has helped companies achieve +74% revenue growth within 16 months by establishing this sequence. The agency spend didn't change. The strategy underneath it did.
Next step
30 minutes, no charge. Simon Förstemann looks at what you're currently doing, what isn't working, and gives you an honest assessment of whether you need consulting, execution, or something else entirely.
Book free intro call — no commitment →30 minutes · No pitch, no pressure · Directly with Simon Förstemann
What is the difference between a marketing consultant and a marketing agency?
An agency executes — it produces ads, content, and campaigns. A marketing consultant thinks alongside you: they analyse the problem, challenge the strategy, and help you make the right decisions before money is spent. Both have their place, but only in the right sequence. Hiring an agency before the strategy is solid means paying for well-produced work pointing in the wrong direction.
When do I need a marketing consultant vs an agency?
You need a marketing consultant when you don't know what to do — when your positioning is unclear, the right channels are unknown, or something feels off but you can't name it. You need an agency when you know exactly what you want and need someone to execute it professionally. In 7 out of 10 cases, businesses hire the agency too early.
Can I use a marketing consultant and an agency at the same time?
Yes — and it's often the most effective combination for SMEs and small businesses. The consultant develops strategy and positioning first. Then the agency executes with a clear brief, clear KPIs, and a clear direction. This eliminates the budget wasted on iteration and course-correction that happens when agencies operate without a solid strategy underneath them.
Why do agencies keep billing even when results are poor?
Agencies have a structural incentive problem: their revenue depends on your budget, not your results. The more you spend, the more they earn. This leads agencies to equate activity with progress — reach, impressions, click rates all look good in a report but are not the same as revenue. A marketing consultant is incentivised to solve the actual problem, not to grow the retainer.
How much does a marketing consultant cost compared to an agency?
A marketing consultant typically charges a day rate or advisory retainer and costs less upfront than a full-service agency. More importantly, consulting first prevents the expensive mistake of funding well-executed campaigns built on the wrong strategy. In practice, a single consulting engagement often saves multiples of its fee in misdirected agency spend.
What should I look for in a marketing consultant for my small business or SME?
Look for someone who has built or run businesses, not just advised them. Ask for specific revenue outcomes from past engagements, not just campaign metrics. A good marketing consultant tells you honestly what you don't need — including, sometimes, a consultant. Simon Förstemann has 14 years of experience across 6 ventures and offers a free 30-minute initial call to assess your situation with no obligation.
About the author
Simon Förstemann
Growth strategist & marketing advisor with 14 years of experience. 6 ventures founded, 3 exits, Red Dot Award and German Design Award winner. Works 1:1 with decision-makers — no agency, no workshops that lead nowhere.
LinkedIn →