Marketing Your Consulting Services.pdf - epiheirimatikotita.gr

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service, hot food, and a friendly exchange. This made the customers feel like they
were number one. This is easier than you might think. Try some of these ideas. Always
give your clients your undivided attention—do not accept or make phone
calls to other clients while at a client’s site. Be easy to work with—prima donnas
are not successful for long as consultants. Communicate clearly and often—I’ve
never heard a client complain that a consultant was over-communicating.
Do Good Work
Seems like this might go without saying. You might be surprised at how many consultants
I work with who think that good work and marketing are not connected.
No matter what you do in the way of marketing, you must do great work to earn
repeat business. Determine how you can add value. You might be surprised at how
easy it is to be above average. You might assist your clients to develop the specifications
for a job before you submit a proposal. Most clients have little experience
with that part of the job. You might also simply consider completing the job early
or charging less than you originally bid.
Most of my clients tell tales of woe of consultants who request time extensions
or additional money to complete a project. Unless there is scope creep (which, of
course, you have discussed as it arises with your client), you should never miss a
deadline or request additional money. If you are behind schedule, work overtime
to complete it on time. If you underestimated the cost of the project, keep it to
yourself and bid better next time. So if the majority of consultants are missing
deadlines, simply complete the project earlier than you promised. You will be a
hero. How you deliver your services is as critical as what you deliver. Always give a
little more than you promised. See the list in Exhibit 9.1 for ideas. What can you
do to add unexpected value to your projects?
What the Client Wants
A few years ago a huge consulting firm hired an expensive marketing firm to conduct
research to determine what was most important to its clients. After interviewing
the clients, the top three items included: Be honest about what you can
do; take time to understand our needs; and be responsive to our schedule. That’s
Consulting 101. Reminders are good for us. Remember the basics when you are
building a relationship with your clients.
Marketing Your Consulting Services