Getting a Social Media Job For Dummies

Chapter 8

Life as a Social Media Consultant

In This Chapter

Building your own social media consultancy

Offering your services to partners

Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of being a consultant

To a full-time employee, being a consultant may seem like a dream. You get to tell companies exactly what they need to do and tell them what they need to pay you per hour or per project. Companies gladly pay you the asking price because you’re the expert. You can outsource the work and charge a premium for managing the labor. Overall, the consultant’s life sounds rather glamorous.

Of course, some people tell you that consultants are constantly struggling for business and that the consulting industry is as cutthroat as they come. That companies are loathe to spend money on this newfound cost. That companies will choose the cheaper option every single time.

A successful social media consultant will tell you success boils down to a few key factors:

• Listening effectively and offering solutions rather than pushing products and services that you want to sell
• Strictly defining your ...