Consultants Can be More Valuable During a Tight Economy According to Vision Strategic Marketing

Annnapolis, MD, October 24, 2008 --(PR.com)-- When businesses are worried about their credit lines and trying to maximize their cash flow, hiring a consultant might be the last thing on their minds. “That would be a big mistake,” says Molly Hughes Wilmer, President of Vision Strategic Marketing & Communications. “Turning to an external resource during troubled times can help companies successfully navigate troubled waters.”

Here are five ways that Wilmer recommends companies can benefit from bringing on a consultant.

1.) People are responding very emotionally to the rapidly changing dynamics—it’s human nature. Even the most experienced business leaders make big mistakes when there is a lot at risk (think of Enron). The strong emotional ties leaders have to their organization will not be shared by a consultant. A consultant will be able to help corporate management take a deep breath and a step back and objectively assess whether or not their reaction is appropriate.

2.) Most current marketing strategies probably need to be revamped to successfully address the changing marketplace. Creating a new strategy can be hampered by internal people who feel ownership of a strategy that has not been fully executed, and who may feel robbed of the opportunity to show that their approach really can work. An external consultant can help justify the need to change strategies, and positive energy can help employees adjust to the change.

3.) Market-instability induced fear can lead to a retrenched WADITWA ("we've-always-done-it-this-way") attitude that feels safe. External counsel can provide validation and confidence that change is warranted.

4.) Developing new strategies to respond to a new environment requires thinking out of the box, not WADITWA. An external voice can bring energy, ideas, and a different set of experiences to spark thinking in a new way.

5.) If companies are thinking of reducing staff, outsourcing creative development and execution can be cost-effective.

About Vision Strategic Marketing and Communications

Successful businesses are on a never-ending quest for improvement. And marketing and communications are key ingredients to success.

Vision believes that strategy is essential to success. Whether clients are expanding their product offering, services, or market proposition, looking for additional customers in new or existing markets, or really need to get the right people to hear the right message, a strategy can help you do it better, faster, and more cost-effectively. Vision is here to help evaluate and improve current efforts, or get clients launched in a fresh new direction. Vision will work with clients to define specific objectives, and develop and implement the communications necessary to achieve them. Vision Strategic Marketing and Communications helps select companies with high growth potential reach their business goals through marketing strategies.

Quality and creativity are available from Vision at competitive prices as the result of intelligent management that utilizes scalable resources to respond to cleints' needs. When clients are ready to get started, start with Vision.

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