Marketing your own consultancy can appear a daunting task if you don't know where to start. The idea of developing a marketing strategy and budget might seem expensive to a new consultant who many not have substantial start-up funding. However, many marketing options and strategies require little capital. The important thing to remember is that every strategy should have clear goals and benchmarks to determine if those activities are effective. Goals and benchmarking provide a specific plan and measurement system for evaluating strategies and making adjustments when necessary.
Some free or low cost methods for marketing your own consultancy include networking, referrals, and public speaking. These methods require a bigger investment of time than of marketing pounds. Networking involves getting out there where your ideal customers are and making connections. The best networking involves no direct selling of your services, but rather focuses on making business connections. Networking can not only lead to landing clients, but also gaining referrals, the second half of the goal of networking activities. A particular contact might not need your consulting services, but they may know someone who does. Take advantage of the networking opportunities offered by community-based and professional organisations as a way to gain access to new contacts in a low-pressure environment.
Many networking events involve keynote speakers as part of the agenda. Local Chambers of Commerce, professional organisations, and industry conferences commonly invite and even pay for good speakers for these events. Public speaking is the perfect venue to highlight your unique skills, knowledge base, and professional expertise. Volunteering for a speaking engagement can lend instant credibility to your business and is an effective avenue for marketing your own consultancy. It allows you to become the expert in the eyes of attendees, gain exposure, and requires little to no marketing budget.
While it may be tempting to utilise traditional advertising in marketing your own consultancy, these avenues generally, require a substantial investment. Print, radio, and television advertising are not only expensive, but are generalised for the masses. You could potentially spend a great deal of money to speak to thousands of non-ideal customers to glean just a single ideal customer who may or may not be ready to buy your services. Additionally, studies show it takes a minimum of seven instances of exposure just for a customer to remember your business name. Considering the high cost of traditional advertising, the need for repeat exposure for such a small percentage of return is simply not cost effective.
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