Here are some areas that you might want to assess before signing on for the long haul with a particular small business consultant or team. You can ascertain how things will go by committing to working on a small project with said team, this way both the client and the consultants can get a feel for how the work will proceed going forward.

1. Communication. There should be basic agreement as far preferred communication method and style. For example, if the client prefers to consult weekly on the phone before having the consultant tackle the week's tasks, or the client requires an outline to thoroughly detail each project, then the consultant should modify his or her approach to accommodate this. If, of course, the compromising party is unable to perform to the best of his or her ability using the client's preferred communication medium, then of course it is perfectly acceptable for the consultant to say up front, "I apologize but I'm unable to work in the way that you require but I thank you for the opportunity."

2. Workflow. Ideally, project milestones should be identified prior to beginning a client's project. This can be achieved during the Project Assessment phase which typically is quoted in advance if it's a project of significant scope that will be taking several weeks or months to complete. You really want to reach an understanding in terms of which parts of the project are due when, which team members will be assigned to which aspects of the project, who will be reviewing the project at specifically stated milestones, and how many rounds of editing will take place before the project is considered completed.

3. Brand and Voice of Your Business. Of particular importance is the tone in which your marketing consultant (or copywriter as the case may be) conveys your company's message to the world. This could be called the "voice" of your business and you want it to resonate with the people who you're trying to attract as future customers. Not every consultant is a perfect fit for this type of communication, and if yours is not, that's okay -- because another one out there will be able to match exactly what you need! Do your homework, compare notes, and as mentioned earlier, it's best to start out with a small project to get your feet wet.

4. Availability. While some people have a more casual approach toward projects, at Ionosphere Media we believe that the faster things get done (the RIGHT way!), the more swiftly we can accompany our clients onto bigger and more profitable ventures. So, we recommend that you work with a consultant who, once committed to the project, will be available during normal business hours and attentive to your individual needs. This way, the project can be taken care of over the course of the anticipated timeframe, and you will feel satisfied to have accomplished just one more thing in the grand scheme of your business marketing!

Searching for the right marketing partner who can take your business to new heights? Contact gailen@ionospheremedia.com today.