When marketer Jean-Luc Sanscartier left his previous job last November, he knew he had a few weeks before taking on his next professional challenge. He decided to launch a “by the minute” consultation service that eventually resonated with his professional network.
The former Vice-President of Marketing and Communications at Virtuozzo announced his intention in December, on the Web Pro group.
As a former CMO, I would have liked to have had someone from the outside with whom to quickly bounce an idea or a situation… so I tell myself that I must not be the only one in this situation!”
In an interview, the digital marketing manager gave us an example:
At Virtuozzo, we did a lot of marketing in Japan, where the marketing approach is completely different. In this case, you can spend a lot of time reading about it OR you can talk to a person for 15 minutes [who knows this market well] to validate a theory.”
Varied clients
The microconsultation project had a dual function. Jean-Luc Sanscartier wanted to familiarize himself with the Shopify platform. The booking and billing interface was therefore integrated in a very short time on the marketer’s professional website.
So far, the operation has been a success. The marketing manager charges 2 to 6 hours a week, at the rate of meetings that last 15 to 30 minutes, sometimes 1 hour. The first meeting is often followed by a second shorter one, to review the selected solutions.
So far, clients are very diverse: I have received requests from foundations, media, a museum and a technology start-up. I have to say it’s very interesting for me! I’m learning about the marketing issues of different industries.”
Appointments are mostly made by junior managers, he notes. And the questions are more “strategic” than “technical”. He gave the example of a client who was going through a media crisis and who wanted to maintain his reputation – the organization was wondering if he should go to an agency or do it himself.
A formula that makes little ones!
This “by the minute” approach to consultation is not entirely new. In the United States, the Clarity platform offers this kind of service, connecting experts from different fields with people who, as Jean-Luc Sanscartier says, want to “test a hypothesis”.
The digital marketing manager himself received three coaching requests from people who wanted to launch their own by-the-minute consultation service.
One of them works full time; he plans to meet very early in the morning or between 6 and 9 in the evening. I think it’s a very good idea! This can be a way to dip your toes in the water, before embarking on full-time consultation.”
Jean-Luc Sanscartier is recently Moov AI’s Product Vice-President– see here for an account on his inspiring “public” job search approach. He continues to consult 1 to 2 hours a week. Bet these conversations are inspiring!
