Setting up a management consulting business is a big task. Once it’s set up, it’s time to work on the next task – building up a marketing presence for your business. An online and offline marketing presence is necessary to get clients. Clients are what every consulting business thrives on.
The following tips will help you set up a marketing presence so that you get solid leads to ensure your business is a success. Building a marketing presence does not cater to the requirements of new clients alone. You can build your marketing presence for existing clients also and provide them with new services.
- Skills and services
A successful business always caters to the target audience’s needs. Market research reports and industry publications can give you a good idea about what management services businesses require. Compare the market requirements with what your consultancy practice has to offer. If your skills and service portfolio don’t match with the requirements of businesses, fill up that void. You can do this by developing the required skills or hiring employees who can fill up those skill gaps.
Create a website and showcase your skills and services on your business’ website. Keep the website compact, but don’t miss out small but important details. Spell out all the services you offer – you can even describe each service and its benefits. Talk about yourself and also about any employees working for you – the skills you possess and the work you have done.
- Insurance
As well as marketing the services and skills you offer, you must also market the safety policies you have in place to protect yourself and your business. For instance, several potential clients would require you to be insured before they do business with you. Professional liability insurance for management consultants is one such valuable insurance.
With professional liability insurance, you and your business can be protected from lawsuits that claim negligence and improper or incomplete services on your part. It will also pay for all expenses related to a court case against you, including lawyer’s fees and judgment or settlement fees.
- Added value
Providing added value to your services will help build your business’ market presence. For example, if you work on an IT consultation project for a client, offer them implementation and training services that can benefit them much more. These additional services that you offer go a long way in providing better results for your client’s business. A happy client is always a good reference.
- Credibility
When you help your clients overcome a business problem, you increase your market presence and credibility. But you can also get involved in activities that can provide clients and potential clients with useful information. You can do this by creating and publishing online case studies, hosting webinars, and even creating podcasts.
Get active on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Create a group for your business consultancy on Facebook and LinkedIn. Follow industry thought leaders and influencers on LinkedIn. Take part in conversations on social media. Post relevant and interesting content on management topics on LinkedIn. Request LinkedIn influencers for introductions to people in their groups that you think you could help. Don’t hesitate to ask for a face-to-face introduction, as this is much more effective than an online introduction.
- Networking and speaking at events
Make it a point to attend events related to management. You will find a rich target audience and potential client base at these events. Talk to people, find out the type of businesses they are, the kind of problems they face in their business, and then mention how you can help them. Don’t forget to hand out your contact details/calling card to everyone you speak with.
Some management events call for speakers to speak at these events. If you can speak at one of these events, you can be sure that it will take your marketing presence to an altogether new level.
All these tips take time and patience, and you might not see immediate results. But every one of these aspects of marketing will add up together, and you will find that soon enough, you will have a client list that you can be proud of.
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