Strategic Marketing Consultant in Yorkshire

Hiring a marketing consultant gives you access to senior-level strategic expertise without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire — helping you build a clear plan, focus your budget, and grow more confidently.

That said, I’ll always be honest: if your marketing is working and you have a strong team in-house, you probably don’t need one. But if any of the following sound familiar, it’s worth a conversation:

• Marketing keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the to-do list
• All your new business comes from referrals — and you worry about what happens when they slow down
• You’ve spent money on marketing activity but haven’t seen the return
• You don’t have a formal marketing plan in place
• You’re stuck in a tactical loop — trying different things without a coherent strategy
• You have ideas, but no clarity on where to start
• You’re about to hire a marketer and want the right foundations in place first

A marketing agency provides a team of specialists who execute campaigns across multiple client accounts, whereas a marketing consultant works directly with your business to develop strategy – and you get senior expertise from day one, not work delegated to junior team members.

With an agency, your account is typically managed by an account handler and worked on by a team you may never meet. Work is delivered at pace, but strategy often takes a back seat to output. With a consultant — particularly one at Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM) level — you get someone who thinks commercially, challenges your assumptions, and builds a plan before recommending any tactics.

For Yorkshire SMEs, this distinction matters. Many business owners come to me having already spent significant budget with agencies and feeling like they’ve got plenty of activity but no real direction. A consultant’s job is to fix that.

Explore further marketing support for small businesses here.

A marketing consultant in the UK typically charges between £500 and £1,500 per day, or between £75 and £200 per hour, depending on their level of experience and the nature of the work.

For project-based work, fees are more predictable. My own project fees start from:

• Copywriting and content creation — from £600 + VAT
• Marketing plan — from £2,400 + VAT
• Brand strategy and brand pack — from £3,950 + VAT

Many SMEs find the Fractional CMO model the most cost-effective option — accessing Chief Marketing Officer-level thinking on a retained basis, for a fraction of the cost of a full-time marketing director (typically £70,000–£100,000+ per year once you factor in recruitment, salary, and employer NI).

If you’re not ready for that level of commitment, a focused 90-minute strategy session (£195) is a smart place to start. Why not get in touch to discuss your session?

A small business should consider hiring a marketing consultant when growth has stalled, marketing is inconsistent or unplanned, or when internal resources and expertise aren’t keeping pace with what the business needs to achieve.

More specifically, it’s probably time to bring in outside support if:

• Growth has plateaued, and you’re not sure what’s holding you back
• Marketing never gets properly done — it’s always reactive, never strategic
• You’ve had high turnover in your marketing team and need to reset before you recruit again
• You’re spending on marketing activity — ads, social, email — without a clear plan or measurable return
• You’re about to launch something new — a product, a rebrand, a new market — and want to get the strategy right first
• You’ve never done any formal customer research and are making decisions based on gut feel
• You rely entirely on referrals and know that’s a vulnerability

You don’t need to tick every box. If two or three of those resonate, it’s probably worth at least an initial conversation.

Hiring a local marketing consultant in Yorkshire means working with someone who understands the regional business landscape, has an established network of local suppliers and partners, and can work with you in person — without the inflated day rates that come with a national or London-based firm.

Yorkshire has a distinct economic character — strong manufacturing roots, a growing professional services sector, a thriving tech community, and a culture that values straight-talking, practical thinking over buzzwords and bluster. I’ve worked with national and Yorkshire SMEs for over 25 years, from start-ups to businesses turning over £20m, and that regional understanding shapes how I work.

Practically speaking, it also means:

• In-person strategy days across Yorkshire, including Leeds, Sheffield, York, and Harrogate
• A trusted local network of designers, developers, PR specialists, and creatives to draw on when it’s time to execute
• Senior, Chartered Marketer expertise — without the overhead of a London agency’s pricing structure

There are lots of SME marketing consultants and agencies out there.  Not all are equal.

A good marketing consultant will do the following:

• Understand your business
• Help you to map the market
• Develop your segmentation & targeting strategy
• Create a marketing plan which covers positioning and messaging
• Help you to grow your business and make more money
• Help to make marketing a commercially focused discipline within your organisation

I offer various packages and will also quote for specific work following an initial conversation. Here are some examples:

• Copywriting and content creation = From £600 + VAT
• To mentor your existing marketing team = From £695 + VAT
• To run a research programme = From £1,500 + VAT
• To write a marketing plan = From £2,400 + VAT
• To establish your brand strategy and create a brand pack = From £3,950 + VAT

Get in touch so we can discuss your specific requirements

I understand – it’s difficult when you’re running a smaller boot-strapped enterprise.

I offer a couple of affordable options for those not wanting to invest too much initially.

• My FREE Marketing Articles & Insights
• My FREE guide: How to Write a Marketing Plan
• My FREE Brand Health Checklist
• My Marketing Masterclass for SMEs
• My Brand Archetypes Bundle
• The SME Marketing Academy = From £75 for 3-months’ access

Or you could try a 90-Minute 1:1 Strategy Call + Action Plan (£195)

If you’re not ready for full mentoring but want tailored guidance, this is your next step.

Here’s what you’ll get:

• A focused 90-minute call with me to tackle your biggest marketing challenge
• A personalised written action plan delivered afterwards
• Clarity on what to prioritise — so you can move forward with confidence

Why not enquire today?