Courtesy of Wiz Marketing

If one thing is certain it’s that the Internet is here to stay, and any business that fails to understand the importance of a solid online presence is sure to fall behind. While most of us have come to understand that a business needs a well-designed website as a bare minimum, relatively few seem to understand the true marketing potential of a strong presence in social media.

Times are changing. Customers now expect to be able to speak directly with the businesses they deal with. They expect a conversation, and they often prefer not to deal with businesses that don’t listen and respond. Social media is key, and yet all too many businesses farm out the job of presenting their public face to social media consultants who simply don’t know what they’re doing.

So how can you avoid this? What questions do you need to ask your prospective consultant to figure out if they have what it takes to create your social presence? Well, here are ten questions that will help you sort the wheat from the chaff.

1. How long have you been in business?

Social media sites are still new enough that everybody is learning as they go, but the relative youth of the industry is no excuse to settle for an amateur. Any social media consultant worth their wage should have at least a few years working in the field.

2. What do you charge?

Quite apart from the issue of cost as a whole, your consultant should be clear about what your money is paying for. You should try to steer clear of an hourly rate, and instead aim to pay a fixed price for a project that results in a measurable outcome. For example, your investment might pay for a Facebook page with the condition of an update at least twice a week.

3. Where can I find your work?

References are essential in social media, and any good consultant should be able to provide multiple references for successful projects they’ve run in the past. While prior work can be important, most consultants will tend to cherry pick only the best examples.

If you want to go a little more in depth you should ask to see their current roster of clients and try to contact each of them directly to ask if they’re happy with the consultant’s ongoing work. Although, be warned, many sign confidentiality agreements so they are bound by the law NOT to share that information.

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4. How do you measure success?

Many consultants rely on simple metrics to judge the success of a project (i.e. the number of ‘likes’ on Facebook). While likes are useful, anyone with an ounce of cunning can buy endless likes from sock puppet accounts to inflate the true number.

Instead, you should be looking for a little more than simple numbers. A good consultant will offer deeper stats that incorporate Google Analytics and Facebook Insights to show that their methods are resulting in real people interacting with your social media presence.

5. Can you give me any campaign ideas?

You can’t expect a consultant to offer their best ideas up front before you’ve hired them, but any good candidate will be able to suggest several ways to tailor a social media campaign to suit your business.

A great consultant will understand that a cookie cutter approach won’t work, and each business requires a different approach. Some may benefit from a Twitter account, while others may make huge gains by focusing on Pinterest.

What you’re looking for here is a simple understanding that your consultant has thought about how to tackle your unique social media requirements.

6. What’s your specialty?

Every social site is different, and every consultant will be stronger working with one over the others. Some truly understand how to make Pinterest work for them, some prefer the long form style of Facebook, while others still are better with the concise quickfire approach of Twitter.

7. How will you create content?

Courtesy of Viral Heat

Great consultants know that social media success is all about compelling content. You can attract all the fans in the world, but without eye-catching content you’ll never really engage with the public.

It isn’t vital that content is created in-house, but it’s always better to have some sort of direct control over the content that will be used to promote your brand.

8. How would you handle a crisis?

Social media can be a tricky business, and in order for content to go viral it must, often by necessity, push the boundaries a little. Unfortunately this can often backfire, leaving a business open to criticism about the tactics they employ.

When a misstep is made it will be your consultant on the front line, dealing with the issues and attempting to right the boat. So, how will they do it? Give them a hypothetical crisis and ask how they’d deal with it to protect your reputation.

9. What connections do you have?

Consultants don’t work in a vacuum, nor do they start from square one with each project. Your consultant should have an existing network of connections to help spread the word about your business and spring your social media campaign to success, and they should have no problem giving you the names of the influencers they can reach to help you out.

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10. Why do you think a social media campaign is right for me?

Finally – and perhaps most importantly – a good candidate will take this question in stride. They should be able to tell you precisely how a campaign can help improve the reputation and boost the recognition of your business.

Don’t settle for a cookie cutter answer about how social media is great for everyone. Instead, insist on an answer tailored to the strengths and weaknesses of your business. Any consultant who understands enough about who you are and what you do should be able to answer this without pause.