With the growth of subscription commerce comes the growth of subscription box consulting. If you noticed the “Book a Session” button at the top of the page, you already know I’m no different.

That said, whether you work with myself or another consultant, I think it’s important to have a few key questions in mind when hoping a call. This can help speed up your sessions (saving you $) and help show the consultant you’re not there to waste time.

1. What’s Your Direct Experience in Subscription Boxes?

Some subscription consultants might not have direct experience in subscription boxes. This is actually not a red flag, but understanding the background of your consultant can help you determine the best questions to ask. For example, ecommerce experts, Facebook ad gurus, and packaging experts are all great sources who might position themselves in the subscription box industry, but may not have that direct experience with launching or scaling a box.

2. What industry was your subscription experience in?

If your consultant is versed in subscription boxes, the next question is in which industry.

Subscription boxes vary widely industry to industry. Consider the specifications behind a style subscription vs. a replenishment razor subscription: One involves a multi-step survey, advanced segmenting with a fulfillment partner, and a longer supply-chain if items are manufactured in-house. The other could require a special welcome-box, followed by a simple replenishment each month, which means you’re always working with variations and segmenting a list of active subscribers.

Getting to the root of their experience can help you quickly vet their knowledge in your space.

3. What kind of packages do you offer?

I work with a lot of consultants, and here’s the thing I dislike the most: flat-rate consultants who don’t have a vested interest in your success. I experience this first-hand often, as it’s the most common model of consulting.

I suggest looking at consultants who will consider a performance based structure, or some alternative form of compensation, based on your success. You want to find someone flexible who understands the nature of your business. If things aren’t performing, it’s important to trust that your partner will be flexible with your budget (assuming it’s a longer term contract).

Performance basis might not be 100% of the comp, but this can help you lower your expenses while incentivizing your consultant to really get involved (and stay involved).

4. How many clients do you generally consult at once?

The real question here is, what is your bandwidth if I really need your focus?

Knowing your consultants schedule is critical, especially if you’re a solo operation and know you’ll be leaning on your consultant for advice very regularly.

5. Do you have any case studies or stats you believe in?

Usually, most consultants can’t comment on past gigs. That doesn’t mean they can’t give you data. I would ask for the following:

• What CPA should I expect for X product at Y price point, on Facebook, Google Ads, and so on? What about blended CPA?
• What is good cost per lead for subscription boxes?
• How long will it take to launch from concept to ship date?
• What’s the #1 acquisition source you’ve ever used?
• What’s the best way to control product cost?
• What’s the best way to manage customer support?
• When should I consider outsourcing fulfillment?

There might be some other top-level questions you have as well. For each, I would ask the consultant to reference specifically how past clients or projects handled your specific issue. Even without the project name or specific case study, a story or deeper comparison can help color a solution better than advice alone.

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