Getting clients is perhaps the most daunting task facing any new entrepreneur seeking to create a new Internet business by providing consulting services. Especially during recessionary times, many new consulting businesses may emerge in a particular field selling services within shrinking target markets. In the end, success or failure of a consulting business will depend on both the value of the service and the ability of the consultant to sell it.
Internet sales has perhaps overshadowed personal selling ability in the minds of many new consultants in terms of which may be more important. Many techniques, including Low Cost SEO are available to help market consulting services, but ‘cold calling’ or reaching out to prospective clients without an invitation is a task most would rather avoid. In truth, both methods are required to successfully bring a new consulting practice to profitability.
Selling Consulting Services On Line
On-line marketing and personal selling then should work in concert with one another. Most buyers of consulting services want to be convinced that the consultant can deliver the promised value. The on-line part of the consultant marketing plan can help get the consultant in contact with those needing that value.
In addition to the ability to provide the promised value, winning new sales using the internet also requires a web page that the common search engines such as Google and Yahoo recognize and will present to internet users who are looking for solutions to their business problems. Three elements to a profitable on-line consultant marketing plan then are: Service Differentiation Nice Identification Active Positioning using the website and email
Differentiation is simply the part of the service that makes one different or better than competitors. Why one service is unique or better than another is to establish superior value. A new consultant must articulate the reasons she/he provides a more valuable service. This is the core of the consultant’s value proposition.
Niche Identification: This element helps select a group or target market. A key consideration is not only finding a group of prospective customers that have a need for the consultant’s services, but also the ability and willingness to pay for it. Many enterprises exist that may need a certain service, but as the recession has dragged on, many may no longer have an ability to pay the consultant’s fees.
Active Positioning: Forming the value proposition and reaching out to the target market with personal sales and internet marketing constitutes the Active Positioning part of the consultant’s sales effort.
Developing a web page strategy using keywords and on-page optimization techniques first requires the identification of the niche and differentiating characteristics. Keywords or keyword phrases that are short terms describing the prospect’s need or niche must be applied to the web page title, headlines and in other areas to help the search engines understand what the consultant’s page is about. A web page using the keyword phrase “Water Utility Rate Consulting” describes a consultant providing valuable assistance to water utilities or utility customers that are wrestling with the steady upward pressure on their water service rates.
Selling Consulting Services On Line
Geographic identifiers can also be helpful in positioning a service on an internet web page. Many consultants specialize in a service within a specific area or region, so a geographic identifier might be an important part of niche identification. Services to improve one’s golf swing might be provided by a sports consultant only in – say – Dallas and wouldn’t be practically available elsewhere.
A well positioned web page can help a new consulting practice attract new customers and clients. Still, the essence of closing a sale requires the consultant to personally convince the prospect that he/she can deliver the promised value. Most consultants are quite capable of this, though and only need to reach out to more organizations needing their services.
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