Best Practice Marketing for Business Consultants

For many business consultants looking to acquire clients that they may assist with their business planning goals, the temptation is often to turn to social media to grow their sales funnels. Unfortunately, social media on its own seldom produces the results they are hoping for. The reason is that business consulting is a very personal matter, especially for small businesses that have strong entrepreneurial foundations: the business and the founder are inseparable. The consultancy is only as good as the reputation and track-history of the lead consultant.

In many instances we have seen, offline methods are often more effective. Clients are more readily acquired through networking and referrals, attending and hosting webinars and workshops, trade fairs, and the like. Other examples include strategies such as partnering with accounting firms, legal consultants, or marketing agencies can lead to cross-referrals and mutually beneficial relationships. Some consultants offer free initial consultations or business assessments to potential clients. Above all, consultants who can offer a track-record of successful assignments is the most compelling way to instil trust in potential clients.

Nonetheless, having a good social media marketing plan is necessary to ensure market presence and credibility when potential clients finally make their buying decision. For starters, no credible business should be without the following minimum social media presence, viz.

• Website: A well-presented website with a professional look and feel, free of any spelling and grammatical errors is a basic requirement. Better still, he website should be SEO enabled to ensure the consultancy ranks higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential clients to find them when they search for business planning services.
• LinkedIn Profile: This is the best place for consultants to offer their potential clients a professional impression of themselves, something that immediately establishes trust and credibility. A poorly populated profile will certainly detract from the confidence that is created in the consulting firm. Remember, it is the consultant that ultimately does the work and achieves the outcomes. LinkedIn is the preferred B2B platform for engaging with business owners and executives through providing high-quality blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, and e-books that address common business planning challenges and provide valuable insights.
• Email Marketing: Build an email list of interested prospects and existing clients. Send regular newsletters with valuable content, updates about your services, success stories, and special offers. Email marketing helps keep your consultancy top of mind when clients need your expertise.
• Paid Advertising: Consider investing in targeted online advertising, such as Google Ads or social media ads. Use precise targeting options to reach your ideal audience and promote your services directly to those searching for business planning help.
• Thought Leadership and PR: Position yourself as a thought leader in the business planning space. Write guest articles for reputable publications, speak at industry events, and contribute to relevant podcasts to build your credibility and visibility.
• Testimonials and Case Studies: Collect and showcase testimonials from satisfied clients, along with detailed case studies that highlight the positive impact of your services. Social proof is a compelling way to instil trust in potential clients.

For a business planning consultant looking to acquire new clients, a combination of online and offline marketing methods can be highly effective. Remember that consistency is key in marketing. Be patient and persistent with your efforts, and continuously measure and analyse the results to refine your strategies for acquiring new clients effectively.

For asistance in setting up your social media platform contact us now: support@digitalgaragersa.com