Package an audit only when the inputs are clear
A defined review can be a useful first engagement if the client can supply the required material. State which channels, accounts or pages are included and what the output contains. Do not promise a full growth strategy from a brief that only covers one landing page.
Use a proposal process for ongoing work
Ongoing consulting needs clarity about meetings, implementation ownership and reporting. Compare marketplace proposals and specialist matching against the same scope. Include the time a client must spend providing information and acting on recommendations.
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Check client readiness
Before quoting, ask whether the necessary data exists and who can provide access. Confirm the decision-maker, budget authority and implementation owner. If tracking is missing, make the first phase a measurement and discovery task rather than a promise of rapid results.
- What business question must the engagement answer?
- Which baseline and data sources are available?
- Who approves and implements recommendations?
- What can realistically be delivered in the agreed period?
Demonstrate a method and its limits
Use a case study that explains the diagnosis, action and evidence. Distinguish your work from changes made by other teams or market conditions. A useful deliverable might be a prioritised SEO backlog with acceptance criteria; a guaranteed ranking is not a substitute for that work.
Common questions
Should consultants guarantee revenue growth?
Only make claims you can support. Revenue depends on implementation and other conditions beyond the consultant’s work; agree on concrete deliverables and measurement.
Is an audit a good first project?
It can be, when the question, inputs and output are defined. Avoid selling a generic report that does not support a decision.