Consultants Marketing Strategy
You have a finite amount of the resource of your time to sell. Any hour that is not booked with billable consulting time is a lost income opportunity. Effective marketing will turn more nonbillable hours into billable hours, improving the profitability of your practice.
Other People Are Reading
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Current Clients
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Your best potential revenue source is your existing clients because they know, like and trust you and are already spending money with you. Make a list of all the consulting services you could offer and match this list against your client base. Suggest add-on services to them based on the problems and issues you know each one of them faces.
Referrals
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Get referrals from existing clients. There is no cost associated with this and you are leveraging the goodwill you have established with your current customers so that they will endorse you to others. Give your clients a clear description of the type of potential clients you are looking for. Describe your ideal industry segment, geographic area and, most important, the type of problems or opportunities you can help a company solve. For example, "Do you know any companies in Colorado that are having serious problems controlling their inventory levels and associated carrying costs?"
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Direct Mail
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Decide on the target market for selling your services. Buy a list of companies with the name of the decision-maker, company address, website address, email and phone number. Mail each company at least three to four times to increase the probability that the mail will be opened. Prepare the mailing so that it is attention-getting. Include a three-dimensional insert that represents a problem you can help the client solve. Three-dimensional inserts work because the recipient is curious about what is inside the envelope. Begin your letter with a headline and opening paragraph that focuses on the problem you can solve and includes reference to the insert. For example, include an aspirin bottle and a message similar to this: "I've enclosed an aspirin bottle in this letter to get your attention and also because if managing your inventory levels is a big headache for you, I have some ideas that have helped hundreds of other companies I work with."
Speak and Publish
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Speak to industry groups, trade associations and local business organizations. Write articles for trade publications and include a brief bio about you with your website address. Offer a free report on your site to obtain and market to the names and email addresses of those who ask for the report. Write a traditional hardcover book or an ebook to position yourself as an authority in your field.
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References
Resources
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