Learn how to market consultancy services in a few easy steps

At its most simplistic form, consultants are experts in a specialized field who work with companies or individuals in an advisory role. They will assist businesses or individuals in such specialized fields as:

• Accounting
• Advertising
• Communications
• Computer consulting
• Gardening
• Business
• Human Resources
• Insurance
• Marketing
• Information technology, and much, much more

How to Market Your Services?

Who will you be looking to show your consulting skills to? Large firms or smaller, boutique style companies? Nonprofit corporations? It may depend on whether you are an independent consultant looking to bring in new customers and/or start your business from the ground up. Or, whether you find yourself within a consulting firm as part of a larger team. 

Either way, the marketing of your skills can be a tough nut to crack. Many companies that you will try to engage in business opportunities may not even know they need your services. Below, are a variety of solid options for those looking to answer the question of how to market consultancy services.

Speaking Engagements

Look to public speaking as a great way in which to market yourself and your company. Try for local speaking engagements at the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, or trade shows. See if there are any national industry events in which you might speak.Speaking engagements can only serve to spread the word about you and the company.

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Ads

Obviously, you may not be entering your ad into the Super Bowl commercials lineup if you are an individual consultant with an operating budget of mere peanuts. But, advertising can be an extremely effective means of getting your message out to the public. Research other ads from companies and gauge their effectiveness. Design your own after studying the competition’s ads to make the best possible advertisement for your prospective clients.

One can also work on business cards that can help to catch the eye of clientele. As well, one can look to get referrals from happy customers in order to increase their client base. In certain instances, some companies/individual consultants will simply use positive word of mouth in order to attract new clientele.

Cold Calling

This can still be an effective method by which to attract new customers. Work with a script, be creative in your advertising methods, and try to limit the amount of cold calls you perform on a monthly basis so that you don’t wear yourself out.

Brochures and Newsletters

This can be a simple brochure, with the proper information about your company, as well as a section on why you are the best available option in the consulting realm. You may explain who your other clients are, who you are and how you got started in the business, and what skills you offer to prospective clients.

An even more effective means of advertising can be a newsletter, sent to prospective clients. Head over to Entrepreneur to find out more about proper newsletter writing techniques.

Online/Blogs/SEO/Podcasts/Website

With technology increasing in leaps and bounds almost daily, it’s important to have ways in which to get yourself and your company exposure beyond the normal newsletters, brochures, and cold calling. Start a consulting blog, create a website, or do a podcast about pertinent issues within your respective field of consulting. These are great ways to get new customers and allow them to see your promotional products, what your skills entail, and your overall knowledge of the subject matter.

Whatever it is you do online, such as a website, podcast, blog, or other such technological endeavor, it must be searchable. Which means SEO, or search engine optimization. This is the way to improve the visibility of a website or online service in search engines used on the web.

Those interested in optimizing their own search results will need to look into the best search terms available, what people are actually searching for, which engines are most popular, and a few other technical factors, as well. It is very important for your company to be visible online as this is where many potential customers can find you. Thus, these are ways in which to answer for good the question of how to market consultancy services to potential clientele.

Resources:

Entrepreneur: How to Start a Consulting Business.

The Lonely Marketer: How To Brand Your Marketing Consulting Firm.

Above photo attributed to carveconsulting