What to Expect from a Brand Consultant

So you’ve decided to work with a brand consultant. That’s the first step. Of course, now that you know you are doing it, you have to hire a brand consultant, and there are a lot of people out there offering their services. Since the reason you decided to hire a brand consultant in the first place is probably that you don’t know a whole lot about branding, it can be hard to feel like you’re making an informed decision. However, the process is a whole lot easier if you have some idea of what to expect from a brand consultant.

First of all, you should never hire a brand consultant who promises the solutions to all your problems. There isn’t a mathematical formula for branding—some things work and some things don’t, and often the best way to find out is through trial and error. Branding isn’t a one-time event, but rather an ongoing process throughout the life of your company. It’s important for both you and your brand consultant to know that neither of you has all the answers.

Adaptability is Key

On a similar note, look for a brand consultant who has some concrete ideas about listening to feedback throughout that process. No brand is set in stone, and your brand consultant should be willing to adjust even if they think their original brand concept for your company is the greatest branding idea of all time.

The most important thing to expect from a brand consultant is that they will work to understand your audiences. If your branding message doesn’t attract people and convince them of the value of having your business in their life, it’s not a very good branding message. A good brand consultant will attack the problem from an audience perspective to understand who they are and what’s important to them. Then he or she will work to engage your audience creatively.

Compatibility Between You and Your Brand Consultant

Lastly, you should try to get a sense of whether your brand and this brand consultant have good chemistry. Just like a romantic partner, a brand consultant that looks good on paper isn’t always the right match in real life. When you meet with a potential brand consultant—in person if possible—think of it like a first date. It will be obvious if they get your company in a way that works for you. If they don’t, that doesn’t mean they are bad at their job. It just means they weren’t the right match for you.

A Hundred Monkeys Can Help You Connect to Your Audience

At A Hundred Monkeys, we’ve worked as brand consultants with an incredibly diverse range of branding clients. We’re happy to share our expertise with you. Our strategy as a branding consultant is to always approach your company the way your audience will approach it in order to create genuine human connections with potential customers. If you’re interested in hiring a brand consultant, contact us today.