|
|
Create A Magic Connection with Clients, Leads, and Business Associates Part I
Create a Magic Connection with Clients, Leads, and Business Associates -- Part I By Cora L. Foerstner A few months ago, arriving at a client’s office to begin a group meeting, I discovered that two women, who had committed to joining us for a...
Drowning in Debt? Tips and Tricks for Getting Out of Hot Water with Creditors
Do you, like millions of other Americans, feel like you’re sinking in an ocean of credit card debt? Well, fear not--there are many options for reducing your debt way before you have to be concerned about receiving notices or daunting telephone calls...
Employee or Independent Contractor?
Small business owners and self-employed individuals often need to deal with the complicated and often confusing issue of distinguishing between “employee” and “independent contractor” status. This issue is especially important to the growing number...
What Consultants Want You to Know (But You Never Ask)
I’ve been both a CEO and a consultant, so I’ve seen from both perspectives what goes right and what goes wrong when a consultant comes in to a company. Generally the CEO or the manager who hires the consultant tells the consultant what he or she...
Why Soft Skills Matter in Your Office
A major problem for employers today is getting the best employees and then keeping them. How do you do this? One way is by understanding what it is employees want. Being able to sense what others feel and want is empathy, an emotional intelligence...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brand Your Consulting Business
Today’s competitive marketplace for consulting services is no longer responsive to the marketing strategies that worked in the past. The services you provide should speak volumes about your consulting business. Think about what happens when you hear phrases such as, “the ultimate driving machine”, “Don’t leave home without it”, and “Just do it”. Chances are good that you can immediately associate them with BMW, American Express, and Nike. These companies have mastered “brand brilliance.” Brand your consulting brilliance because the future of your business depends on it.
There’s an old adage; “Perception is reality”. Simply stated, the perception of a brand lies in its ability to influence a client’s behavior. When you have successfully branded your business, in the client’s eye there is no service in the marketplace quite like your service.
All consulting businesses should have a distinct, sustainable, and competitive advantage to differentiate their services from the competition. I call this process of identifying your advantage “Brand Your Consulting Brilliance”.
Here are six simple steps to brand and differentiate your services in the current business environment.
1. Think client focus first.
The client’s reality: Consulting businesses exist to serve clients. Develop a client visitation calendar and schedule in-person visits. Look the client in the eye and say, “I am here to serve you.” Follow up and follow through on all client related matters in a timely manner.
Create a client questionnaire so clients can rate the performance of your services. You want them to tell you how you’re doing and what you can do to serve them better. It’s also a way to discover what challenges they are currently facing. Be relentless in your client retention efforts.
2. Discover a distinct advantage that will set you apart from competitors.
Start by articulating your “unique marketing proposition”, a statement of all of the qualities and characteristics that set your services apart in the marketplace. Analyze your services: What skills and services do we provide that are distinctive, measurable, and add value? Which of our past successes can we leverage in the marketplace? And don’t forget to ask colleagues what they see as your competitive strengths.
Communicate these messages reinforcing your unique marketing proposition any time you have an opportunity to write or speak about your consulting firm and what you have to offer to prospective clients. 3. Generate publicity.
What others say about your brand is much more powerful and
credible than what you can say about it yourself.
When it comes to branding your consulting brilliance, favorable publicity in the media or word of mouth is far superior to advertising. So how do you generate the publicity “buzz”? Create a buzz about your brand by being visible: Speaking at seminars, publishing a newsletter on your website, participating as a host or guest on television or radio talk shows, writing a column in a reputable trade journal, and networking.
4. Promote a powerful perception of quality in the client’s mind.
What is quality if not a perception that resides in the mind of the client? You build quality intangibles around trust, reliability, excellent people, and innovative client services. Show clients that you can interpret and process their information to convert it to results oriented solutions. What you say is important, but what you do is even more important for reinforcing their perception of your brand quality.
Keep the lines of communication open. The goal of branding your consulting brilliance is to convince the client that your brand is worth their trust and worth a premium price.
5. Establish your credentials as an industry leader in the field.
Clients like to know they are doing business with an industry leader. Make clients aware of your consulting acumen, presence, and commitment. Know your clients’ businesses inside out – what they do, why they do it, how they do it. Tout your firm’s successful track record of accomplishment in working with companies like theirs.
Build and sustain credibility with clients by strengthening your client relationships, developing a client retention strategy, demonstrating that you value your new clients, and going the extra mile for them.
6. Practice consistency in building your consulting brilliance.
Stay focused on implementing the branding of your consulting brilliance. Keep abreast of marketing trends in your profession and position yourself as a recognized expert. Make the most of your unique marketing proposition. Accelerate and elevate the perceived value of your brand in the marketplace.
In short, to brand your consulting brilliance, know what you have to offer, know how to differentiate it, and know how to market it.
About the Author
Robert Moment, Author and Business Coach. Author of best selling e-books, “27 Powerful Networking, Branding, and Prospecting Tactics for Your Business” and “The Truth About Winning Federal Contracts”. Robert@federalcontractsforsmallbusinesses.com http://www.federalcontractsforsmallbusinesses.com
|
|
|
|
|
PR.com: Directory of Businesses Jobs Press Releases Products ... |
Comprehensive Directory of Businesses, Jobs, Products, Services, Press Releases, News, & Articles in all Industries. Promote your business. FREE. |
www.pr.com |
  |
PR Newswire - news distribution, targeting and monitoring |
News and press release distribution services for small business marketing, corporate public relations and investor relations, government and organizational ... |
www.prnewswire.com |
  |
PR Week Magazine |
News and features about the public relations industry, with links to US, UK, Asian, and German editions. |
www.prweek.com |
  |
Public relations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Public relations (PR) is the art of managing communication between an organization and its ... PR historians say the first PR firm, the Publicity Bureau, ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
  |
Puerto Rico - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Hyperlinked encyclopedia article covers the country's history, government and politics, geography, economy, demographics, language and culture. |
en.wikipedia.org |
  |
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) |
Largest professional organization of public relations specialists representing business, consulting firms, government, associations, schools, ... |
www.prsa.org |
  |
CIA - The World Factbook -- Puerto Rico |
Profile of Puerto Rico by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). |
https: |
  |
Center for Media and Democracy - Publishers of PR Watch |
A nonprofit, public interest organization dedicated to investigative reporting on the public relations industry. |
www.prwatch.org |
  |
Puerto Rico Vacations | Puerto Rico Tourism Company | Puerto Rico ... |
Puerto Rico Tourism Company Official site includes nightlife, area sports, culture, and travel information. |
www.gotopuertorico.com |
  |
PR: See what people are saying right now on Technorati |
See all blog posts tagged with pr on Technorati. ... This page shows everything that has been tagged with pr. To contribute to this page include this code ... |
www.technorati.com |
  |
Edelman |
Full service global public relations firm. Includes company profile, management team, practice areas, industries served, case histories, client listings, ... |
www.edelman.com |
  |
LEWIS PR - global public relations |
LEWIS PR is a global public relations consultancy working with leading and emerging brands and delivering predictable results tied tightly to client goals. |
www.lewispr.com |
  |
IANA | .pr - Puerto Rico |
University of Puerto Rico Gauss Laboratory Facundo Bueso Building Office 265 ... Puerto Rico Email: tech@uprr.pr Voice: +787 765 3263 Fax: +787 754 0757 ... |
www.iana.org |
  |
Online Public Relations Home Page |
Free online resource for public relations professionals. |
www.online-pr.com |
  |
Chartered Institute of Public Relations, CIPR, the professional ... |
The CIPR is the professional body for the UK public relations industry, providing PR training and events, PR news and research, and a PR jobs board. |
www.ipr.org.uk |
  |
PR News Online — Trusted Source for Public Relations News, PR ... |
The latest news on public relations delivered FREE right to your inbox. ... Psycho-Geometrics Help You Know What 'Shape' Your PR Team's Personality Is In ... |
www.prnewsonline.com |
  |
O'Dwyer's Public Relations News - odwyerpr.com |
Features breaking news about the public relations industry, a database of PR firms, listing of PR service firms, client search tool and job postings. |
www.odwyerpr.com |
  |
PR News Online — Trusted Source for Public Relations News, PR ... |
E-letter. The latest news on public relations delivered FREE right to your inbox. ... Share ideas with your peers in PR News' just-launched Forum ... |
www.prandmarketing.com |
  |
Linux PR: |
Comprehensive Press Release and Public Relations resource for the Linux community. |
www.linuxpr.com |
  |
Escape to Puerto Rico - Your Internet Guide to Puerto Rico |
Internet guide to everything Puerto Rico. Offers lots of photos, accommodations and travel information from around the Island. |
escape.topuertorico.com |
  |
|