The Ultimate Guide to Starting, Building, and Scaling Your Highly Successful Consulting Business

Strategies, Tactics, and AI-Powered Systems

How to Promote Your Professional Brand

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To turn consulting prospects into clients, you must give prospects two things. The first is a vivid image of their life after you have solved their problem. The second is confidence that you can solve their problem. Talking about tools and methods won’t win clients.

You must build a vision of future success.

Great Consultants Give Their Clients an
Image of a Better Life and
Show Them How to Get There

When you promote and market your consulting services, you need a personal and professional brand that quickly gives prospects the confidence you can solve their problems. Your marketing must build trust in you and your authority.

Your brand is what distinguishes you from the sea of competitors and nurtures trust and credibility with your clients. A strong brand identity reinforces your authority in your niche, enhances your marketing efforts, and helps you reach prospective clients more effectively.

With a powerful brand, you can build trust and engage a prospect before you even meet.

Key Takeaways

When you build your brand, you must target your ideal clients by knowing who benefits most from your services and then use networking, online marketing, SEO, and more to connect with them while focusing on their 4Ps (Pain, Problem, Pursuit/Purpose, Profit).
Create a Magnetic Marketing Message so people remember who and how you help.
Create a Unique Value Proposition that is important to client needs and makes you stand out.
Build and expand your online brand with LinkedIn, a professional website ,and social media.
Use content marketing with blogs, social media posts, and thought leadership articles to showcase your expertise and engage your target audiences.

Knowing how to promote and market your services is just as critical to success as your domain knowledge and experience.

First, your marketing must create an impression that shows the strength, authority, and experience you have in solving your client’s problem.

Second, you need to give prospects and clients a vision of their future after working with you. You need to give them them the confidence that you can help solve their problems.

Third, your marketing must create a memorable impression, so you are at the top of mind when they have a problem of the type you solve.

You don’t have to be a mega-corporation with billions of dollars in brand promotion to market and sell your services. There are proven systems to promote your consulting services, and you can learn to use them.

The Significance of Effective Promotion

Consider effective promotion as the fuel powering your consulting business. It can lead to:

Greater brand recognition
More trust and authority
Enhanced social proof of the value you delivery
Easier sales processes
Increased income

You will need proven marketing and networking steps like,

referral scripts that help your network reach out on your behalf
a networking methods that generate more referrals
a premium LinkedIn profile that works for consultants
a professional consulting website that shows authority
testimonials and case studies that reinforce your authority and trustworthiness

Your Mission Statement

One of the most important things you can do for yourself, your business, and your clients is to have a clear mission.

Writing a mission statement should not take a weekend retreat to accomplish.

Your mission statement should,

Describe what you do
Describe who you do it for
Describe how you do it
Describe why you do it
Be short and inspirational

Try writing a few words for each of the bullets, then combine them into one short but inspirational sentence.

Some examples that tell who, how, and why are,

Starbucks
To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.

Patagonia
Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.

Tesla
To accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.

TED
Spread ideas.

Creating a Powerful Magnetic Marketing Message

A Magnetic Marketing Message is the cornerstone of your consulting services brand identity. It's a compelling and concise statement that captures the essence of your core services, the unique value you bring to your clients, and the distinctive results they can expect.

A Mission Statement and Magnetic Marketing Message are different.

A Mission Statement is a goal and direction for people in the organization

A Magnetic Marketing Message is a short, concise, message that attracts clients.

The Magnetic Marketing Message creates a clear image of what you do for your clients and why you are unique.

This message should be tailored to your target audience's deepest needs and aspirations, pulling them towards your brand like a magnet.

Begin writing your Magnetic Marketing Message by completing this statement,

"I help [WHO] to [solve WHAT problem] so they can [see WHAT results]. My [WHY choose me]…"

For the [WHY choose me] it's best to use a shortened version of your Unique Value Proposition.

The importance of a Magnetic Marketing Message in building a consulting brand cannot be overstated. It serves as the foundation for all marketing materials and strategies, ensuring consistency across various platforms and touchpoints.

A powerful message differentiates you in a saturated market, cutting through the noise to reach your ideal clients. It's the hook that captures attention and the promise that keeps prospects engaged. By clearly defining the benefits and outcomes of working with you, your Magnetic Marketing Message builds trust and establishes your credibility as a go-to expert in your field.

Capture Referrals with a One-Line Introduction

Your introduction is extremely important. In that introduction, you can include a one-line statement of your mission or purpose that sets up the conversation.

Done right, you can set up the conversation to instantly capture referrals. Sounds great, but how!

A short one-line statement may be all it takes to create a memorable image of what you do and whom you work with. When a potential prospect asks what you do you can respond with,

“Have you ever known someone who had a problem with …?”

For example,

“Have you ever worked in a company where you felt every division and department was going its own direction, there was no alignment or strategy, and lots of time and money were wasted?”

After they answer with how they’ve seen that affect someone, you respond with,

“That’s just what I fix!”

“Can you tell me more about what happened to you/your friend?”

Concise statements of what you solve and the value you bring are excellent for helping you refine your brand and focusing on your client and niche problems.

It’s also a great way to open a conversation into helping someone and getting an introduction for a referral.

Focus on Your Core Consulting Service

You are an independent or boutique firm. You don't have unlimited resources. And just like finding your niche, you must focus on your core consulting service, which is like a cornerstone in a building.

The cornerstone is the first stone set in the
construction of a masonry foundation.
All other stones will be set in reference to this stone,
thus determining the position of the entire structure.
- Wikipedia

With all the “Shiny New Things” and the occasional off-focus opportunities, staying aligned with your niche and mission can be difficult. Your cornerstone is your core consulting service and niche. Having a well-defined core consulting service and niche will keep you aligned and focus and keep you from wasting time and resources.

Your core consulting service will act as the focus for other parts of your business and branding. For example,

Supporting Consulting Services
Whitepapers
Case Studies
Website Content Structure
Website Search Engine Optimization
Pillar Topics
Cluster Content (sub-topics) like Blogs and Articles
Speeches
LinkedIn Articles
Kindle Book
Print-on-Demand Book

Pillars (Sub-Topics) and Clusters that Build Your Services and Website

The key to modern Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is not only writing with the right keywords but also using a website structure that shows Google and your clients your business's structure.

Modern, high-performance websites with great SEO use a structure like this,

Core Consulting Service

Pillar Topic 1
- Cluster sub-topic
- Cluster sub-topic
- Cluster sub-topic
Pillar Topic 2
- Cluster sub-topic
- Cluster sub-topic
- Cluster sub-topic

Your core consulting service is supported by "pillars." These are the supporting topics of your core consulting service. For example, Critical to Success has the core service of helping new consultants start, build, and scale consulting businesses.

To accomplish that core service we have to have these strong pillars. The pillars Finding Your Niche and Finding Your Ideal Client also show the clusters that support them.

Finding Your Niche
- Identifying your skills
- Researching industries
- Knowing niche pains, problems, pursuits, profits
Finding Your Ideal Client
- Client demographics
- Client characteristics
- Validating an Ideal Client Profile
Promoting Your Brand
Getting First Clients Quickly
Building a Marketing Machine
Selling Consulting Services
Setting Fees
Writing Proposals
Delivering Services
Scaling Your Business

In old, lower-performing branding and websites, all the cluster sub-topics were mashed together. For example, all blogs were thrown together under the topic Blogs. That is like having a library with all the books thrown together in the middle of the floor.

High-performing websites and businesses use this Core > Pillar Topic > Cluster Sub-Topic structure for greater productivity, more memorable branding, and better website performance.

During the Consulting Mastery course, we help you create your Core > Pillar Topic > Cluster Sub-Topic structure and conduct competitive research on your competitors' websites. This enables you to leapfrog your competitors.

Creating a Client Attracting LinkedIn Profile

As a consultant, you must have an excellent LinkedIn profile. A LinkedIn profile is often the first place business people check to see who you are.

Most LinkedIn profiles do a poor job of presenting a consultant’s capability. They could just as well be a copy-and-paste from a resume or C.V. They tell what you have done rather than what you can do for your clients.

More than 70% of B2B buyers use LinkedIn as a source for their purchase decisions. That is either powerful for you or against you, depending on your LinkedIn profile.

In the following example, I have written the LinkedIn profile so it is all about,

Who clients are
How I help clients

If the reader is a prospective client, when they read your LinkedIn profile you want them to feel like they have just found someone who can help them.

Your LinkedIn profile should have a photo with a professional image and a professional or experience-related background. Write and format your experience section with bullets and concise text that addresses your prospect’s biggest questions,

Can you solve my problems?
What experience do you have with this problem?
Can we build a relationship with trust?

In the Consulting Mastery course, you can use the ChatGPT prompt to help you create a client-oriented profile.

Building the Best Consulting Website

Consultants must have a website. Your website is as critical as your LinkedIn profile. Not only should it illustrate your capabilities with examples, it should also give testimonials that build trust and rapport.

Almost every prospect will check your website and
LinkedIn profile before becoming a client. It has to be good.

Websites can also be a powerful vehicle for capturing and engaging new leads and prospects. Your website with an irresistible opt-in offer is critical to automating your lead generation system.

Independent consultants usually use one of two types of consulting website designs: personality-based or business-based.

A personality-based website can be very simple and highly effective, even if you aren’t a "name" consultant like Marshall Goldsmith, Simon Sinek, Marie Forleo, or Seth Godin. Personality-based websites are used by many online entrepreneurs where, as the personality name implies, everything is presented under the brand of their personality.

A business-based consulting website presents a stronger professional image based on your niche and services. Use a business-based website if your market is larger businesses or organizations and if you want to demonstrate multiple consulting specialties, such as, corporate strategy, talent search, or operational performance.

There is a specific structure and set of menus that work best for consulting websites. Whether building your website yourself or through an agency, you should follow the proven structure.

Unless you are a recognized author or speaker, you will probably find ranking highly in Google search results difficult. Most of your visitors will initially come from personal connections or LinkedIn outreach. Even so, building a website that highlights your consulting services, shows your authority, and builds trust is important.

Here is a simple website layout combining elements for personal and professional branding,

Homepage
Who my clients are
What I do for my clients
Call to Action

Consulting Services
White papers on important topics to build authority with opt-ins
Case studies to build trust with opt-ins to collect contact info and segment users

Topics and Clusters (Blogs)
Topical articles with links to and from clusters (sub-topics)

Who I Am
Your credentials, education, and published works

Contact Page
Multiple ways to connect

Creating Your Consulting Business Name

If you have a mission and purpose statement you like and you’ve stopped working on your logo, then you’re probably ready to create your business name and get those all-important business cards.

Names for consulting businesses can be straightforward. Most small firms use the founder’s name and add the mission statement as a sub-line to clarify what your business does. You might also add one or two words after your name as a descriptor. For example,

Robertson Engineering

Davis Strategic Performance

One advantage of adding one or two words after your name is that you are more likely to get the domain name you want for your website and email.

A few corporations and firms you might recognize who are named after the founders are,

A. G. Edwards

Adidas

Albertsons

J.D. Powers

Schwab

Arthur Andersen

Now, you can use the time you saved by not searching for a name and spend it building your prospect list.

Consulting White Papers and Case Studies

High-value white papers and case studies are part of the proof that you are an authority. Each major service described in your cornerstone could be a white paper. For each white paper you should have one to three case studies describing how you have solved the white paper’s problems for a specific industry or situation.

White papers are different from marketing materials. White papers show serious content with research, data, and sources. It doesn't have to be your work, but it needs to show what you believe and how you work.

They prove your authority. You don’t want it filled with marketing fluff, promises, or extra words. Your white papers don't need to be long. Make them concise and include quotes, proof, and citations. You want the reader to know you are experienced and an expert in the topic.

While this makes it sound like white papers should be stuffy and academic, don’t make them that way! You want your prospect to read it.

Don’t make them long. White papers should be only five to twelve pages. Use a great layout with a lot of white space. Include charts, graphs, and pictures that make your point about solving a specific pain point.

For money well spent, hire an editor to give your white papers and case studies a professional polish. Programs like Canva are an inexpensive way to use template-driven designs and then publish them as a PDF.

Adding an Email Signature Block

Every time you send an email someone will see your signature block. Use it effectively to brand yourself. You should include,

Name
Business Name
Mission or Purpose Statement
Direct Phone Number
Email Address
Website URL

Some additional items you should seriously consider are,

LinkedIn Profile Address
Photo
YouTube Clip

Shelley Golden, a personal branding image consultant in Northern California, has a well-done signature block that shows multiple ways to contact her. The YouTube video gives you an impression of what it’s like working with her.

Consulting Business Cards

Even in this totally wired world you still need business cards. You will need them in any networking situation.

Your business card should include,

Company Name
Your Name
Short slogan or purpose statement
Email address
Website
Phone

Leave white space on the business card. It drives me crazy to get a business card that’s covered on both sides with a glossy picture or dark background. That leaves no place to write notes about the person you have met.

Quick print business cards with same day turn around often use 100 lb. stock paper. This is “good enough” if you need cards quickly, but it is a little light weight and flimsy. If you have a week to wait for the heavier stock that print shops use, go with at least, the next heavier paper.

Don’t use odd shaped cards. They don’t fit in wallets and they’re awkward to carry or collect. If you want to be memorable, do it with your sparkling personality.

When you accept a card, hold it, and read it. Then put it in your breast pocket. I’ve seen people take a card and not even look at it before stuffing it in their pocket. It leaves the person you’ve just meet with the feeling you have no interest.

As soon as you return to your office send the person whose card you accepted an email acknowledging your meeting.

Always send a LinkedIn connection request if the person is in any way connected to your industry or niche.

There are good companies that have pre-designed card templates online. Some printers, such as Federal Express, have an online template you complete, then you pick up the cards in a few hours or the next day. (Fast turn-around cards often use the lighter stock paper.) Some online printers give you online templates and then ship your cards in approximately a week.

Check for business cards created online for US delivery at,

Vistaprint
Moo
GotPrint
Federal Express
CostCo Business Printing

Creating a Logo - Don't!

In a word, “Don't!”

Don’t waste any more time working on a logo. Take all the scraps of designs out of your pocket and stuff them in an envelope.

You don’t need a logo for a solo or boutique consulting business. Instead, use a logotype.

A logotype is a single piece of type that works like a logo. Some of the following companies added logos to their logotype, but only after they achieved billion dollar status. You might recognize a few of these companies,

If they can use a logotype, you can too. Now, use the time you’re saving by not drawing logos and go build your business. And when you reach a billion-dollar valuation, hire an artist to design a logo.

One thing I recommend in the Starting and Building a Thriving Consulting Business course is identifying a coordinated color palette and font set. In the course we give you a resource list with recommended color palettes and fonts.

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Summary

Building your brand is essential if you want to promote your consulting services. Promoting your brand and consulting services usually requires multiple channels focusing on your new core Magnetic Marketing Message.

Your brand proceeds you wherever you go. When you build a strong, authoritative brand your prospects will trust you before they begin working with. Your brand is your first bridge to a successful consulting business.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I promote my consultancy service?

To promote your consultancy service, create a Google My Business account, develop your personal brand, write an effective sales pitch, and prove your expertise as a thought leader. Engage with potential clients on social media, attend networking events, and seek referrals. Good luck!

How can I establish a strong brand identity for my consulting business?

To establish a strong brand identity for your consulting business, ensure you create a Magnetic Marketing Message your and your ideal clients are passionate about and that helps you stand out from your competitors. Continually gather feedback from your customers so you can shape your brand identity to their expectations and needs.