The product that consultants and other professional service providers offer is essentially themselves. The most effective and efficient means of marketing professional services is through content marketing. By producing content of value, consistently, a consultant can engage with existing and prospective clients in a way that is mutually beneficial.
What the Experts Say
- According to The Consulting Bible (Alan Weiss), the work of a consultant is marketing.
- Scott Stratten says to throw out everything we’ve come to associate with marketing in his book, Unmarketing: Stop Marketing. Start Engaging.
- C.C. Chapman and Ann Handley’s book, Content Rules, illustrates that the most effective way to engage clients and prospects is through creating consistent content of value.
My Take
Consultants can effectively market their business by demonstrating their expertise through a constant effort to produce quality content. 140 characters in a tweet isn’t going to connect you with a large contract, most likely. Being accessible in a variety of contexts to the preferences of your audience (clients, prospects, peers, competitors), fosters the trust building process. Consultants are experts in their fields, and social media (blogging, participating in various social networks, etc.) lowers the possible barriers of entry to that expertise.
Therefore, produce content about the subjects that interest you. Do so with the intent of engaging others by demonstrating value. Don’t tell people how smart you are, show them. Consistently.
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AEC Forensics 