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How to Promote Your Consulting Business: Why Paying to Advertise & Market Your Consulting Business is Wrong
Like anything, there needs to be competition to drive success. As a consultant, if you're just starting out you may feel the need to advertise your business in newspapers, online or through Google AdWords. But be wary of this approach because some will view this as a cheapening of your brand. And when you're a consultant, you're selling your name and your skills. If you have to spend money to do that, are you really as good as you say you are?
"The easiest way to promote yourself is to do your job really well with the clients that you already have," says Lorin Beller Blake, an entrepreneur, consultant and owner of Big Fish Nation, a San Diego-based development firm designed for female business owners. "We might throw dollars out thinking it's going to be a shortcut. But what we really need is that due diligence, every day repetitiveness and social networking, talking to people on the phone and stuff like that. It almost never has anything to do with investing money in something."
Regardless the type of consulting work you are doing, you are in the customer service business. It's imperative to consider this relatively minor point, but consider the people you work with "customers" and not "clients". A "client" implies that the consultant is superior, as opposed to the term "customer," which suggests that you are beholden. Customer service and relationship management is perhaps the most important aspect of your job as a consultant.
Other than doing your job well, perhaps the best way to advertise your services is to publish original, technical content that can easily be found by others (whether on a blog, website or in a magazine). Much like Favorito writes his blog posts and various articles, keeping your name out there in the public eye across various outlets is only going to add to your experience and allure for potential clients. When prospective customers are investigating a potential consultant, a quick Google search that shows articles and your website lets the customer find out for him or herself that you're qualified rather than relying on you to simply claim that you are. Communicating your message well is a skill you should constantly be improving.
Dig Deeper: How to Deliver Great Customer Service
How to Promote Your Consulting Business: Proven Methods
A lot of consultants put all of their time and energy into becoming an expert in their field. They undergo training and practice, but they don't invest time or energy into learning how to get clients and grow their consulting businesses. Instead of wasting that time, money and effort on advertising, here are a few tips and tricks (by no means comprehensive) for successful promotions that will result in an increase in business and revenue, which is what really matters at the end of the day for all consultants:
• Facebook page: in addition to your personal page, start a business page for your consulting practice (free and easy) and use it to promote what you are working on but also to share information.
• Twitter: create an account and share your own thoughts but also share relevant stories in the field you are calling yourself an expert in.
• Blog: There are a variety of sites you can set up a blog at, but the big five are WordPress, Posterous, Blogger, Tumblr and SquareSpace. The ability to customize the layout and sharing features makes it considerably easier to cross-publish this content.
• LinkedIn: Obviously you should have a profile, but join relevant groups or start a group of your own and organize questions, topics and event in-person meetings.
• Website: It's pretty hard to sell your business in 2011 without a well-designed, working website. Luckily, domain names are cheap on sites like GoDaddy.com and you can use a variety of free web design services to make it look like you really know what you're doing, even if you know little to nothing about HTML.
• Consulting Associations: Depending on the field you are in, you may need a certification to promote yourself as legitimate. Check out the Institute of Management Consultants USA to see what might be required in your field.
• Speak at Events: There is no better way to promote yourself than to get in front of a room full of people (both existing and potential clients) and speak on a topic you are an expert in. You'll add serious credibility and get great audio/video clips that you can post to your website.
These are just some simple tips. Being a successful consultant takes hard work, commitment and in the early days a lack of sleep. But if you do it the right way, you can gain business without ever spending a dime.
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