Brand consulting

A brand consultant essentially performs a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of a company's marketing and branding materials. They may focus on ensuring consistency of imagery and voice in company messaging, or on fostering a unique voice or image for a company to make it attract attention away from competitors. The consultant always focuses on promoting the growth of a company and examines the company's operations holistically.

A brand consultant is usually independent and not on a company's regular payroll. This outsider aspect is critical, as it can help them look objectively at a brand's entire image and suggest changes. Consultants are also not necessarily exclusive, meaning that they often provide consulting services to multiple companies at one time, although it's common to reach agreements to avoid conflicts of interest by promising that they won't consult for a competing brand at the same time. Brand consultants typically work for larger private companies

An effective brand strategist is well-rounded and can apply knowledge from many areas. They are skilled in using different research and analysis methodologies to glean different types of data. This can range from the use of more traditional techniques like questionnaires, surveys, ethnographic and demographic research, focus groups, and interviews, to more modern techniques like using digital metrics and keyword research to analyze customer engagement rates. An analytical mindset is also useful for dealing with statistics and quantitative data.

A brand consultant also benefits from flexibility and exceptional communication skills, as they work with people from different departments. A consultant's conclusions can help to inform a company's work in areas as diverse as research and development, IT, human resources, and sales, though their primary focus is on a brand's marketing identity. The ability to synthesize information from varied sources is also helpful, as a consultant's area of inquiry may be large. Specific education is not formally required for a brand consultant, but they often have bachelor's degrees and possess broad experience in fields like sales and product management.