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SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTING

How much should you charge for social media marketing projects?

By our News Team | 2023

Charge as if you’re employing a small team. It’s not deception, it’s the money you will use to start hiring and scaling the business.

For many African marketers, starting or growing a career as a social media consultant – whether full time or as a side hustle – has many challenges. Not least is what to charge clients.

In an article published on the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe (MAZ) website, marketing consultant and Director at No Walls Media advertising agency, Innocent Mushamba, provides a number of key pointers. Among them:

Social Media Consulting

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Determine your deliverables

When a client asks you for social media management, you have to determine what they actually want. You should bill for deliverables. Here are a few:

  • Strategy (platform audit, plan on how to meet business goals, creative campaign direction).
  • Community management (posting, responding to enquiries, engaging audiences with business account through comments and direct messaging, page growth).
  • Content Creation (graphic design, photography, video shots and editing).
  • Paid Media (Budget to boost posts and run paid ads. This money goes to platforms like Facebook, so include an ad management fee which can be a percentage of the total ad budget, or a flat fee that you determine).

Have standard rates for each, and create a cost sheet or rate card. When you do work below your rates, include the fact that there’s a discount, or include that piece of information on a contract. It’s good for record keeping when you’ve shown your value and are ready to charge more.

Determine your overhead expenses

Phone bill, internet, software, transport (events, photoshoots, client appointments). How much do you need to actually do the work and meet your deliverables comfortably? If you are doing everything yourself (which is often the case), you need to account for the work as if you are managing a small team, if the client budget allows for it.

While every dollar does count and sometimes you just need something to get by, always have the mindset to scale. Charge as if you have a small team. It’s not deception, it’s the money you will use to start hiring.

Think about it. If you were to outsource, how much would the people you can work with be charging for their services? What is the minimum amount for good quality workers? You have to know enough about social media marketing to know what to expect, then include that in your budget.

Make sure you know your base costs. This will help you see if a client is worth pursuing.

You can read the full article here. Marketers Association of Zimbabwe is a founder member of the African Marketing Confederation (AMC).

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Dr Kin Kariisa

Group CEO - Next Media

Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

  • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
  • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
  • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
  • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
  • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.