Consulting is no cake walk. It is a delicate balancing act of invariably delighting your clients and perpetually generating new leads. A lot of consultants are highly accomplished professionals with vast industry experience. They quit their corporate jobs and start their own independent venture with business in hand. Eventually, however, they exhaust their existing network and referrals and have to start cultivating new clients. Being excellent at your job is of no value in the consulting world if nobody knows about it. So bridging the gap between ability and availability is absolutely essential.

So here are a few tips for promoting your consulting business.

Create a web presence. Reluctant to spend money on a website as of now? There are still ways to build an online presence. Be active on social media, you don’t have to set up profiles everywhere, but consider two or three (for example: Linkedin, Facebook page, Youtube channel, Blog, Google+ profile etc) which you find user friendly. Once you set up a profile, be consistent, post content regularly and join the conversation. To check whether you are headed in the right direction, google your name and see what comes up? Streamline till you get a description of yourself along with relevant contact details.

Join a consultants group. List your business in free directories. This will not only increase your visibility but also put you in touch with others in your industry, so you can get a feel of what your competitors are offering, you can also use these contacts for collaborating on large projects.

Referrals. Call your best clients and ask for referrals. There is no substitute for a good referral for building confidence in the minds of prospective clients regarding your capabilities.

Network, and then NETWORK some more! Set up weekly targets for the number of people you want to call and have lunch meetings, or business dinners with. No matter how busy you are, or how many projects you currently have lined up, the networking has to be relentless. In fact the best time to network is when you have a number of things on your plate, because then you can demonstrate the range of work that you are capable of handling. And frankly who doesn’t like to shop at a place that is thronged by many.

Promote a charity. Pick up a cause that you really care for, identify a good charity and talk to them about helping them in fundraising. For example you may invite your existing and prospective clients for dinner and dancing. Charge per head and donate the proceeds, auction or raffle items donated by clients. This not only not only makes the world a better place but also creates a lot of goodwill for you and your company.  

Prospecting for new clients and promoting your consulting business go hand in hand. Your business cannot do without these and promotion cannot be a onetime, all out blitzkrieg followed by a bout of complacency. Consistency is the key here. As they say, “The best time to promote your business is all the time”.