Becoming  a  professional  internet  marketing  consultant  is  a
business opportunity that individuals who are well-versed  in  e-
business and internet marketing may be interested in pursuing. If
you are new to internet marketing, you could certainly  become  a
professional internet marketing consultant;  however,  a  lot  of
preparation is needed because providing professional services  as
an  internet  marketing   consultant   requires   knowledge   and
experience  with  a  variety  of  different  types  of   internet
marketing.If you are interested in become a professional internet marketing
consultant you should analyze  your  internet  marketing  skills,
identify your strengths and weaknesses,  and  craft  a  plan  for
educating yourself  and  strengthening  your  internet  marketing
skills in areas that are lacking. Developing  your  expertise  in
the field of internet marketing prior to offering services as  an
internet marketing consultant is crucial.As an internet marketing consultant you will come in contact with
a variety of clients  with  varying  levels  of  knowledge  about
business and internet marketing. Some will be completely  new  to
business  and  will  need  basic  guidance  from  their  internet
marketing consultant in regard to basic business matters as  well
as entry-level internet marketing concepts. On  the  other  hand,
you may have business professionals who are seasoned in  business
and marketing but are clueless about internet marketing. Last but
not least are the  e-business  professionals  who  commission  an
internet marketing consultant for research, planning and internet
marketing services including management of marketing campaigns.As an internet marketing consultant you can provide  full-service
consultations, or you  can  target  specific  internet  marketing
areas in which you have gained expertise. Sometimes the latter is
best because not only is  there  less  for  you  to  learn  which
enables you to truly provide  expert  services,  but  a  narrowed
scope of services can also provide a niche market which gives you
potential for developing  a  thriving  practice  as  an  internet
marketing consultant.Niche areas you may wish  to  pursue  as  an  internet  marketing
consultant include:1.	Market research2.	Preparation of marketing plans and/or business plans3.	Search engine optimization4.	Pay-per-click campaign management5.	Email marketing6.	Viral marketing7.	Link campaign management8.	Ezine advertising9.	Newsletter publishing10.	Distribution of expert articles11.	Media campaigns12.	Copywriting13.	Website development14.	Web hosting15.	Coaching services16.	Training and education17.	Publication of internet marketing books18.	Operation of a subscription service withinformation about internet marketingThese are all services that an internet marketing consultant  may
offer. The service menu for an internet marketing consultant  may
focus on one specific type of internet marketing, a few different
types   of   services,   or   full-service   internet   marketing
consultation that includes all of the suggested services and even
more. While providing some of the service offerings would require
an  internet  marketing  consultant  to  pursue  self-development
opportunities through continuing education and  experience,  some
areas  are  easy  to  master  without  extensive  experience   or
training.When you specialize in a specific area of internet marketing, the
fact that you are specialized can actually build your credibility
as a professional internet marketing  consultant.  You  can  also
participate in online forums about internet marketing or  publish
expert articles about internet marketing which can  position  you
as an expert in internet marketing  consultant  further  building
trust and credibility which will enhance  your  business  through
word of mouth referrals.With the exception of web  hosting,  no  expensive  equipment  is
needed to provide services as an internet  marketing  consultant.
To provide services as an internet marketing consultant you  will
need access to various resources and publications which will keep
you abreast of changes in the internet marketing industry.  Basic
computer equipment and some  specialized  software  may  also  be
necessary. The most important factor to remember is  -  to  be  a
professional and credible internet marketing consultant you  must
develop expertise in whichever area  of  internet  marketing  you
wish to consult in.
