consulting

Are you a consultant? We share three different ways to attract new consulting customers before the end of the year.

As a consulting firm, your business’s success depends greatly on your ability to attract new customers and mandates. This can be a demanding and challenging task for any business professional; trying to gain more leads, turn leads into clients, and then provide them the service they require.

Consulting is a widespread industry. There can be customers seeking professional advice in just about any sector or department between managing, IT, marketing, engineering, employee productivity, etc. Running a consulting agency is about capitalizing on a sellable skill that few people possess but many need.

So, how do you grow your business? The first step is to define your target audience, that is, who would benefit from your service. Once your primary audience is identified, it will be easier to attract them. How? Below are three strategies for attracting the right prospects and turning them into customers.

 

1. Improve Your Online Presence

Functional website

Having a functional website is an important foundational piece of any successful business today. Thirty percent of consumers said they wouldn’t consider doing business with a company that doesn’t have a website. Meanwhile, another 40 percent agreed they would leave a site if the load time is too long. It’s important to invest in your website to improve the customer experience as it will most likely shape consumers’ first impression of your business.

Google Business Account

You want to be easily accessible to your customers whenever and wherever they are searching for you. A Google Business account allows you to place all your contact information right in front of consumers’ eyes when they need it most. This can help boost engagement by having the Call and Visit Website buttons one click away.

Testimonials

Almost 90 percent of consumers admitted to trusting online reviews almost as much as personal recommendations. Carve time out of your schedule to solicut and monitor online reviews, responding to the positive ones as well as addressing any negative ones. It’s important to be aware of what past customers are saying about you, and potential clients are reading about you.

Online Portfolio

Customers searching for a new agency to hire will be curious about your past work, so make it easily accessible to them. Create a landing page on your website dedicated to your team’s success stories. Customers want to know what to expect before buying into your services; so this is an excellent opportunity to highlight your strengths.

 

2. Start Networking

Events

Signing up for seminars and workshops can be a great way to reach new customers. What’s more, if they are attending these events, they are probably in need of your specific service. Take time searching for upcoming functions and allocate some of your marketing budgets for buying tickets. What’s more, these events can also help you sharpen you and your team’s skillset by revealing the latest trends and insights about your industry.

Business Networks

Professional business networks such as LinkedIn have proven to be an excellent platform for businesses to communicate with different audiences. In recent years, LinkedIn has been further enhancing its features to better help business owners attract and engage with customers. Become an active member of relevant LinkedIn groups that potential clients may be part of, send introductory messages to prospects’ inboxes, and invest in LinkedIn ads to take advantage of the platform’s exceptional targeting abilities.

 

3. Never Stop Marketing

Email campaigns

Emails are a great way to send out a promotional message to a large number of people at a very low cost. Plus, with today’s technology, you can specify exactly which type of consumers you want to target based on demographic conditions and geographical location. This ensures that your message is going directly to the leads that matter to your business.

Social Media

As consultants, you and your team want to build human relationships with customers and engage with prospects. Social media can be a great means of communication. Again, think about which social platforms your target audience is using, such as Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, and build up a social presence. This is a great opportunity to share your industry knowledge, promote your brand name, create a good reputation, control what users are saying, and start communicating with possible leads.

Digital Ads

Digital ads have proven to be increasingly effective as consumers are spending more and more time researching online. From pay-per-click ads to video ads, you can invest in the ad format that will best speak to your target audience and your consulting-type. And again, thanks to advances in technology, you can super-filter your ads to ensure they are visible to the right people at the right time.

It’s vital that your consulting firm has a healthy flow of clients. By following these three strategies highlighted above, your agency will be better equipped to find leads and transform them into clients. Having these strategies in place will also benefit you should you ever decide to sell your consulting firm as you will be equipped with a better portfolio of clients to offer potential buyers.

Bruce Hakutizwi is the Manager of Dynamis, Ltd., parent company of  BusinessesForSale.com, a global online marketplace for buying and selling small- and medium-sized businesses. With more than 60,000 business listings, it attracts 1.4 million buyers every month. If you are interested in learning more about the hospitality industry, visit BusinessesForSale.com for insights on how to buy, sell, or run a prosperous motel business. @BizForSaleUS
Consulting stock photo by Pressmaster/Shutterstock