Marketing For Consultants: A Guide To Growing Your Business
David Chmurzynski, May 2024
All the time you've spent to become the "iron chef" equivalent in your industry. It makes some people's heads start spinning when all the hours of hard work and research have led you to the question. What is marketing for consultants?
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You've already had this thought "I know how to help people, but how do I even get seen in the first place?". And that's also not your only issue, in the endless rat race of today's world you'll be competing with the zillion others doing exactly what you are. So how do you stand out? Are consulting services marketed like we market a new video game? Definitely not!
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The main goal of Marketing for consultants isn't actually to "sell a service" or turn a fat profit. It's actually to stand out and get yourself seen in the first place, and more importantly, it's to use your Consultant Marketing to help people.
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On average 15,000 new businesses are being opened each day in North America alone. That's one roughly every 6 seconds, talk about potential prospects. I did the math, that's about 5—depending on how fast you read—in the time it took you to get to this point in the article.
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2024 is a time when people are so overloaded with information, that it's easy to get lost in the sauce where to put your efforts. Your time's a valuable commodity and I don't want you to waste it, or worse, fail at doing what you love. Fear not, your chances have already drastically increased because you're reading this article. You're doing something your competitors aren't even thinking about.
When Marketing for Consultants you need strategies that connect you with the RIGHT people, not just anyone.
Digital Marketing For Consultants
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Low CPA (Cost per acquisition)
Digital Marketing is the lowest-costing, and most effective marketing channel
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Increased Awareness
You might be the best consultant in your sector, but if people can't find you, then you're fighting a losing battle
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Specific Targeting
Having traffic on your site is great, but at the end of the day you're a business and need to convert, and that requires the RIGHT people
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Authority Building
Just because you know what you're doing doesn't mean everyone will, what better way to show them than your digital database
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How do you increase awareness? How do you then make sure the awareness you're getting is from the right people? And finally, how do you know those people that come will even trust you? Well, there's no simple explanation, but the ultimate goal is to create a trinity between these points.
I've got some wicked strategies for you. They work together to not only attract, but convert potential clients into paying customers.
SEO
At this point, SEO is thrown around like some sort of buzzword. Not a lot of people truly understand what the strategy is. Search engine optimization when Marketing for Consultants is your best bet for getting people on your site. It's the king of online marketing and generally the best inbound strategy. It should be a top priority.
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Google will help you if you help it. The creation of search engines was to solve one problem. Answer the searcher's—your prospects—questions in the most effective way possible. You need to play the game. It entails creating the best possible solution to potential clients' answers. But please, keep in mind that it's not just you playing. It's the entire world (or at least the general area you're targeting). That means you're competing with hundreds if not thousands of other people.
There's a ton to know about SEO, especially when marketing for consultants. I could do a masterclass on it alone. For now, I'll give you the major factors that impact it the major keys to success, let's get you ranking on the first page.
#1 Providing Value To People Searching
The first rule to getting noticed before anything technical, you need to provide content that has value, it needs to be worth reading. A simple trick I use is as cheesy as it sounds: if it wouldn't help me out, how's it going to help out others? Imagine a time before you knew whatever you were trying to write about.
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Some examples include:
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How to's
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Relevant information
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Guides
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Step-by-step instructions
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A real-world company that's killing it is WEBMD, take a look and Google any number of general health issues. Guess who's always ranking on the first page.​
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Industry Secret—High-quality informative content is lengthy; a good rule of thumb is to aim for 1200+ words. Spamming useless information won't help though, make sure to be mindful.
#2 Keywords
​What are we actually "ranking" for? We're ranking for something called a query. A query is like asking a question or typing a word or phrase into the search bar. It's what you enter when you're looking for answers or information on the internet. For example, this page is ranking for the query Marketing for Consultants. Whatever you're putting out on your site needs to be optimized for that phrase.​
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There are 2 types of keyword queries you can rank for:
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Short-tail Keywords— Ex: Consultant Marketing
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Long-tail Keywords— Ex: How To Do Marketing for Consultants As A Startup
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Industry Secret—When trying to rank for a keyword, make the total number of times it's mentioned 0.5% of the total content. [If that sounds confusing don't worry I'll break it down. Say you have a 1000-word article, multiply the total amount of words by 0.5%. 0.005 x 1000 = 5. Now you know, you need to mention your keyword 5 times for best practices. The more the merrier, just be careful not to overdo it (Google isn't stupid, they're aware when you keyword spam).]
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When first starting out you need to go for the low-hanging fruit. You're better off ranking for the long-tail keywords. The more specific generally means less competition and in turn a lot more opportunity for you. It's a trade-off though because there are fewer overall searches for longtail keywords.
#3 Internal links, Backlinks, Source links
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Internal links
Internal links are used to link around to other content or pages that are on your website. They're important because they allow the search engine to understand that there's structure to your site. A fantastic example is Wikipedia, have you ever found yourself going down the link rabbit hole from one page to the next, to the next, to the next? Your site isn't going to be a database like that. But as you start to stack up more and more content you can link back to previous articles. It gives harmony to the madness and provides order. Not to mention enhances user experience (they don't even have to leave your site to get extra info). It's not used only to link to more relevant information, but also to link to contact or services pages.
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Backlinks
Backlinks on the other hand are links to you that exist on other websites. Keep in mind social media doesn't count, they do something referred to as a "nofollow" link. Every backlink that you receive is like having a referral. It builds your credibility and your trust. There are some schemey ways you can get backlinks like paying for them or trading with other sites. I don't recommend this, an abundance of resources will tell you this could actually rank you off as a spammy site. The single best way is to put out authoritative and useful content. Don't stress over time the links will come. When you're putting out wicked content that helps, people will notice. Another quicker route is to network with other brands and organizations and collab with them (make sure it's relevant to your industry!). Remember it's not the quantity of the links, it's the quality.
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Source links
Source links are the way that you cite your work on the internet. Like when you had a paper due in school. Think of Google as your teacher, they wanna know that your information has credibility to it. A fantastic source that I use is Google Scholar. It's as simple as using Google, it links you to academically credited papers that hold a ton of useful information. Another place that's even easier to use than looking up your own sources nowadays is Artificial intelligence (GPT-4, Gemini, Claude). Just make sure you're always double-checking your sources. Finding a good source is up to you, use your best judgment. Spreading misinformation is a big no-no, it kills your credibility and no one wants that. Marketing for consultants should be informative as much as it is reliable.
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Remember to be patient. These strategies won't be implemented into your consulting marketing overnight. They take time, effort, and patience to see a return.
Researching, creating wicked content, optimizing it for the right keywords, earning links for other sites, and then doing it all consistently. If your starting out it might seem like a lot. I won't lie to you it's not that simple.
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It's a complex process and we're only scratching the surface. It requires a lot of knowledge on how to do it well. But I tell you, the payoff is mighty.
Pay-per-click ads (PPC) are an alternative and will rank you right at the top (Labelled as "sponsored"), Personally, I never click on them (or use them). It's rather expensive, you're charged every time someone clicks on your link. I'm one of the 80% of people who also ignore sponsored links. Building up quality and SEO and improving your ranking has a much greater impact, and has the lowest cost-per-click of any online marketing approach.
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80% of people completely ignore search engine ads
Using Social Media To Build a Community, & Build Your Brand
Data shows that the average person spends 5 hours a day online, of those 5 hours more than 2 are spent on social media platforms! What does that tell you? It should be a key element when marketing for consultants.
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Facebook - 3.065 billion active users
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Instagram - 2 billion active users
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LinkedIn - 1.07 billion active users
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X (Twitter) - 611 million active users
Keep in mind I'm only mentioning some of the major platforms, there are also many others:
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YouTube - 2.504 billion active users
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TikTok - 1.582 billion active users
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Snapchat - 800 million active users
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Pinterest - 498 million active users
Of all the platforms Facebook is by far the largest one. It comes down to a few reasons why this is the case, longevity, accessibility, it caters to a larger amount of demographics. But that doesn't mean all your resources should go into only one platform.
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I've dealt with Social Media Management for a few years now and here are a few insider tips you can steal.
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Quality Over Quantity:
What you're looking to get out of your consulting marketing? If you're looking to expand your reach and get your brand name out there then certain platforms excel at that—in this case, we'll say Facebook—but it doesn't necessarily mean that more leads will come your way. If lead generation generation is your game then look into LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a B2B (business-to-business) platform. People there tend to look for the latest and greatest advancement they can make in their professional lives. On the flip side Facebook is more of a community-based "free time" option.
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Understand Where Your Target Audience Is:
Every business targets a different group of people. The difference between a personal financial consultant and one that deals with major corporations is on opposite sides of the spectrum. Take time and do research before hopping on any platform, you could save yourself a lot of time and money.
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Be Smart With Your Resources:
You work hard for your money, and I doubt you have free time to just throw around. You want to be smart with your resource allocation. Simply because you see numbers like "800 million active users" on Snapchat doesn't mean that channel's going to be effective for you. It builds on the last point of understanding where your audience lies but it goes deeper. Don't overwhelm yourself with platforms. A good baseline rule is to invest deeply in 2-3 platforms. THATS IT. It's all that you're going to need anyway. You're better off killing it on 2 platforms than being generic on all of them.
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Consistency:
This is where I find most businesses fail. You need to make a content calendar and stick to it. Set a schedule and don't break it. Understand that pumping out boatloads of content for one month and then going ghost won't do you any good. Communities aren't formed overnight, they take hard work, dedication, and consistent posting and engagement to build.
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STOP ADVERTISING (all the time):
I'm gonna give you the cold hard truth, people do not care about your service—for now. Social media was created for people to let loose. There are varying reasons to use it (learning, entertainment, or even staying in touch with friends). No one wants to be bombarded with ads. Create authentic helpful/entertaining content. Don't just sell. Position yourself as a thought leader, and trust me, when people are ready to buy, you'll be their first choice. This is going to take some strategy, research, and creativity, but who said this was going to be easy?
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Be A Thought Leader:
Marketing for consultants means you need to show everyone you know what you're talking about. The best way to do that is to build up your credibility for everyone to see. Find connections and gain respect from others in the space. Position yourself in a way that people not only want your help—and service—but also have respect for you.
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Social media is a great channel to do marketing for consultants. Make sure you do it right. I've told you some great tips on what to do I'll also give you the flip side on what to avoid.
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Hootsuite is a renowned social media management platform. They produce high-quality consumer reports and studies that give major insights. From their recent report, we can learn what to avoid. Whether you're starting out or looking for some tips it provides actionable advice.
Things to avoid when marketing for consultants:
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Posting clickbait - 54% Unfollow rate | 22% Hide your profile
Clickbait has taken reign over social, misleading content, straight up lying in your posts. It's one of the main culprits of destroying your brand name and reputation. The problem is that it gets you more engagement, so in the short term, it looks like you're winning. It's a cheap trick, if you're looking to outsource your management, be careful. Monitor what happening on your platforms. Just because your end-of-the-month report shows a high engagement rate that may have come at a much greater cost.
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Posting repetitive content - 35% Unfollow rate | 33% Hide your profile
You are not required to keep posting content just to post it. You're better off doing one high-quality post a week than reposting the same generic stuff over and over again. I've monitored countless accounts that have the same copy-paste templates they modify.
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Posting inauthentic content 44% Unfollow rate | 24% Hide your profile
This one baffles me because it's so obvious. You have morals and beliefs, being authentic is the cornerstone of your brand. If all of a sudden you start posting about issues that your brand has never been about, people will know farming for reactions. A simple rule: Only post about what you believe in. It only comes with benefits. Being authentic is how you build a like-minded audience. Why even build supports that stand for something you're against is beyond me.
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Excessively self-promoting - 34% Unfollow rate | 29% Hide your profile
It's understandable that you're a business and you need to make sales but do it at the right time and place. Social is a place where people want to let loose, not be advertised to. People will tolerate you when it's an occasional shameless self-promo. Don't overstep your boundaries, you'll end up generating more haters than a loyal following. Northwestern University taught me a golden rule: Act as a helpful concierge (posting actionable though-leading content), and the clients will come to you when they are ready to buy.
Running your social media effectively will take some time and practice. Every audience is different, so there is no real roadmap to success, but that's the point, it's why marketing even exists. The tips I've provided will give you a great baseline to start gaining and retaining followers, and avoid things you may have been doing already.
Marketing for consultants on social media is ultimately about building a community, and that community won't form overnight. It takes time, patience, and some testing, to see what works. With some practice, you could build a loyal following of advocates too.
Content Marketing, Provide Continuous Value
Creating content nowadays should be an absolute standard. The reported cost of content marking is 62% less than traditional marketing efforts—DemandMetric—yet it's generating three times as many leads. A necessity if you're in a service-based business game. Even more so when you're asking about marketing for consultants.
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Going down this path will be an investment, but it's reported to be one of the best ones that you can make. Taking on the journey yourself is not impossible but it will take time to learn the skills needed for being effective. You need to pair content marketing with SEO knowledge for ultimate effectiveness. Simply pumping out content without a strategy could slow down the results that you're looking for. And content marketing is an awesome way to get those backlinks we all crave.
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I'll provide you with the three types of content required that you'll need to succeed.
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1. Attraction content
When creating this content you want to focus on grabbing the attention of potential readers. This content isn't required to be related to what you do. This is the content that will get you clicks and traffic on your site. The main point of it is to be entertaining, informative, and referenceable. I'll provide you with some examples to ponder on:
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Listicles (List articles) — Articles that are in a list-based format. The listicle is an addictive format for internet browsers. ( EX: 10 Simple Strategies When Marketing for Consultants)
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News Article — People obsess over the latest and greatest, now pair that with wicked news stories and you have a winning formula. ( EX: Exciting Trends & Tools When Marketing for Consultants May 2024)
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Curated Content — You don't need to do all the research yourself there are so many other people doing it already. Find amazing sources and put them together. Position yourself as the hotspot for directing people where they need to go. (Ex: 3 Articles Consultants Need to Read Yesterday May 2024 Edition)
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2. Affinity Content
This is the most underutilized form of content due to its nature. It's based on personal opinions and experiences. It's a catch-22 because everyone tends to have a stance on certain topics. The reward for this content is building up an ultra-loyal fanbase of like-minded thinkers. The problem is that holding a stance means there will be opposing opinions. (Ex: I found the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate to be difficult, so I wrote about why I thought so. Others may have thought it was a breeze; I risk losing a connection with those individuals. But gain relatability with people who agree with me.)
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3. Authority Content
This is where you show everyone that you're an expert in what you do. This content builds you as an industry leader in your area of expertise. It's actual proof that you know what you're talking about. Components to consider when creating authority content (Keep in mind you don't need to include every aspect in all pieces of content, use this as a general framework):
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Actionable advice
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Industry Studies and Data Insights
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Deep Understanding and Knowledge of Topics Discussed
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Personal Experiences
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Comprehensive Coverage
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Real-world/Personal Case Studies
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Reliable Cited Sources
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The best content strategies don't focus on only one type of content. Rather striking the right balance between all 3 will maximize your potential. With it, you will gain attraction, loyalty, and authority. This synergy is defined as Authenticity and Authority Marketing, a cornerstone when marketing for consultants.
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Facts I'd like to include for you if you're considering going the Content Marketing route:
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90% of organizations market with content
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78% of CMOs see Content Marketing as the future of marketing
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70% of people would rather learn about a company through articles rather than an ad
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78% of people perceive a relationship between themselves and a company using content marketing
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90% of consumers find custom content useful
I'll embed an awesome infographic if you're looking to delve deeper into the content marketing rabbit hole.
This stuff is time-consuming and if done wrong can bring in little to no benefit. Writing is only half the battle. You need to use SEO best practices and accompany your articles with high-quality images and graphs/data. Hiring an experienced writer to join your team is a great start, but be weary that they understand the principles of effective content strategy.
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Another choice is hiring an agency—62% of businesses take this route. It's an intricate dance of knowledge and experience.
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We offer content marketing services if you're interested, click here to learn more.
Using Email When Marketing For Consultants
Email still holds the crown in 2024 as one of the most effective and high ROI (return on investment) strategies. Email marketing for consultants is a fantastic way to keep in touch with your current clientele.
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Average Email Marketing ROI of $36 for every $1 spent
Email remains so powerful because of the idea of "Permission Marketing". When someone opts into your email list they're permitting you to directly market to them. Now this doesn't mean that we go crazy and spam them with like 10 emails in 2 days—that's a surefire way to land yourself in the spam folder. Rather we use our list to nurture and remain in contact with past clients or potential leads.
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There's a ton of opportunities that you could use for marketing, here's a few to consider:
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Upcoming events
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Seminars
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Limited time offers
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Discounts on your services
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New content alerts (blogs, articles, ebooks, videos)
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Utilize the channel to stay in touch and build deeper relationships. People are busy, and sometimes you're just not at the top of their minds. Send them a friendly email to check up, give birthday wishes, or tell them to enjoy their holidays. That might've been exactly what you needed to get put back onto their radars, and a potential recommendation for you.
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Please keep in mind that email algorithms detect open rates or if you get marked as spam. This lowers your email trust factor and you'll start being automatically sent to spam folders. Don't fear this, but keep it in the back of your mind and remain mindful, think back to when you've marked someone as spam.
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This is a very basic explanation of email marketing for consultants. Make use of the gold you could already be sitting on. There is a lot to the art of email marketing and not something that you should just jump into. I recommend taking a beginner course to get a real idea of how to handle it effectively.
Referral Marketing, Powerful Paired With Integrated Marketing
Referrals are still a priority when marketing for consultants. It's a proven method and even with all the tools that are available to you, this simple method still gets the job done.
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Long before the days of the internet, word-of-mouth was the most effective way to build awareness. Friend and family referrals are how to get reliable, and positive messages quickly spread about your brand.
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Something important to know is that your first impression is vital. It's noted that prospects make Snap Decisions when first coming in contact with a brand. If people like what they see, they're sold, and then it's up to you to sway them away, even if it's your family and friends. Take advantage of this insight.
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I'm going to teach you about a concept known as integrated marketing. The rule is, to be consistent in your style, messaging, and tone, wherever potential clients can see you. It gives a sense of professionalism, as well as having a cohesive brand experience. Whether starting out, or being a seasoned vet in the field, it's a priority when marketing for consultants.
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I'm going to break down this concept for you, and explain how to manage this experience:
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Style— This is all about design. I'm talking about things like brand colours, imagery that's used, fonts, and any other visual elements that are being seen. This is a psychological aspect of your marketing, take your time deciding on these elements. It might only seem like picking a colour for your logo, but in reality, it's telling a story. Do research on your target audience and build upon that. Use tried and true methods, look at similar success stories in your industry and add some personal flavour.
Industry secret — Overusing stock imagery is a quick way to land yourself as un-trustworthy and generic. Take high-quality pictures or invest in graphic design, it makes a huge difference.
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Messaging— After deciding what people are going to see, now comes the part of what they're going to hear/read. I'm talking about things like post descriptions, advertising messages, or your mission statement. Your messaging needs to be a reflection of your beliefs and values, and at the same time consistent. This is a key part of authenticity marketing. If you are talking about mental health awareness on Twitter, and then have no mention of it on your site, seems a bit fishy no? Consistent messaging builds trust and authority.
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Tone— You've decided on your messaging don't start typing up a storm, that's only part of the battle. Decide the best way to get your message across to the people reading it. A great example to think about is a teacher. When she speaks to her students she conveys herself in a certain tone and understands their level of knowledge, then lets imagine her and her colleagues speaking at a workshop. They're talking about the same stuff, but the tone changes drastically. Your tone needs to be consistent across various avenues. It creates a sense of cohesiveness throughout your prospects' journey. Go take a look at Apple's website. Read what they put out, and you'll notice one thing, it all looks like the exact same person wrote everything, it's a masterclass in the art of copywriting and tone. Do some thinking and put yourself into your prospect's shoes, are they looking for someone friendly and funny? Maybe they're looking for a more serious tone and trustworthy tone.
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Now once we have everything in place with our integrated marketing efforts, it's off to the races. Spread your message to everyone you know and start building relationships.
Hard work isn't easy, make daily improvements
I've provided you with 5 of the key strategies used when marketing for consultants. The mistake many make is thinking that only one will get the job. The strategies need to work together to grow your brand, generate leads, and reach more people.
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As the saying goes "Rome wasn't built in a day." take it one step at a time. Trying to tackle everything at once will land you in a burnt-out state. It really is a lot and takes several months to achieve the goals that you set. But remember, you're already miles ahead of your competition—you already have a blueprint for success right here.
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I hope you've enjoyed my guide and all the insights I've provided you with, it's taken me a few weeks to put it all together. Hopefully, I've answered any questions that you had regarding marketing for consultants. If you're still lost and need any more information, feel free to reach out on the contact page. I personally respond to all messages and love to help out the community, at one point I was starting out too, and just like you I felt overwhelmed. I wish you the best of luck on your journey, and remember the mantra, Time plus Effort will always equal Results!
Marketing for Consultants: FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is marketing for consultants?
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Marketing for consultants involves strategies to help consultants stand out, get noticed, and attract the right clients.
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Unlike traditional marketing, it's not just about selling a service but about building visibility and helping people.
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How is marketing for consultants different from traditional marketing?
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Focuses on personal branding and establishing authority.
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Utilizes specific targeting to connect with the right audience, not just anyone.
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Emphasizes content marketing, SEO, and digital strategies over conventional advertising.
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Why is marketing for consultants important?
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Helps consultants get noticed in a crowded market.
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Essential for building trust and credibility with potential clients.
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Supports sustainable business growth through effective digital strategies.
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What are some practical methods for marketing consultants?
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Digital Marketing: Low-cost, effective way to increase visibility.
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SEO: Optimizes online content to rank higher in search results.
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Content Marketing: Provides valuable information to attract and engage potential clients.
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Social Media: Builds a community and enhances brand visibility.
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Email Marketing: Maintains client relationships and nurtures leads.
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What are the benefits of marketing for consultants?
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Increased awareness and visibility.
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Targeted audience engagement.
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Enhanced authority and credibility.
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Improved lead generation and client conversion rates.
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Cost-effective marketing solutions.
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Can you provide examples of successful consultant marketing?
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SEO Strategies: High-quality, informative content that ranks on the first page of search results.
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Social Media Campaigns: Building a strong presence on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook.
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Content Marketing: Regularly publishing helpful guides, how-tos, and industry insights.
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How does marketing impact consultants and their clients?
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For Consultants: Builds a strong personal brand, increases visibility, and attracts more clients.
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For Clients: Provides access to expert advice, enhances trust, and ensures they're working with credible professionals.
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Is marketing for consultants applicable across various industries?
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Yes, it is versatile and can be tailored to fit different consulting niches, such as business, financial, health, and IT consulting.
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What are the potential challenges in marketing for consultants?
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High competition in the market.
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Staying updated with the latest digital marketing trends and algorithms.
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Consistently producing high-quality, valuable content.
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What is the future outlook for marketing consultants?
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Increasing reliance on digital strategies and automation tools.
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The growing importance of data-driven marketing and personalized client experiences.
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Continued evolution of SEO and content marketing practices.
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