5 Consulting Marketing Steps for Finding the Right Niche

Whatever people say, the world is not your oyster, and neither is it your niche. It’s too big and too busy to care about any particular consulting organization, big or small. On the other hand, the chances of success can multiply dramatically if you identify a particular sector corresponding to what you specifically have to offer. Here’s our five-step guide for setting about consulting marketing to the right niche:

1. Find a niche candidate (or candidates) – Look for groups of prospects that have requirements aligned to your skill set, and that also have budget and motivation to buy consulting services. To refine your niche geographically, check out “Top 10 IT Marketing Strategies” (Question 3).

2. Define the promises you want to make – Besides making sure that this is what customers in your niche want to hear, and that you can truly keep them, make your promises competitive and differentiate them from other players.

3. Get the word out – For a specific niche, direct mail marketing (postal or e-mail) can be effective, on the condition that you also follow up by phone.

4. Build your consulting image – Niches have their own events, and their own press columns and magazines. Speaking engagements and relevant articles can both prime the lead generation pump by letting you proclaim yourself as the expert. See also “Top 10 IT Marketing Strategies” (Question 9).

5. Increase the odds of successful consulting marketing in your niche – Use business networking, lead-swapping, and partnerships as appropriate to increase the number of decision makers you can contact, remembering to give as well as to receive.

How do you define your target market for your services? Which niche events have brought you the most business interest? Let us know in the Comments section that follows.

And to follow-through on the tips introduced in this short article, be sure to download your free copy of the special report on the Top 10 IT Marketing Strategies For Consistently Attracting New Business Clients to Your Small IT Business.

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