How to Reach the Target Market for Your Consulting Business
Here are 5 steps you can take in reaching your target market as a consultant:
1. Identify your area of expertise.
Before you can know anything about your potential clients, you need to understand your own strengths fully. Make a list of all the knowledge areas you feel confident in sharing and teaching to other people. It will be a partial list, because there are always some things that you do not realize you know well until you are put in a position of having to do them. However, a list will help you define your strongest areas for consulting.
2. Identify your target audience.
Next, figure out who needs your services. If you are a playground consultant, your brainstorming session might produce options like schools, parks, and day care facilities. Someone consulting on computers would have an even longer list, but if you have carefully narrowed down your area of expertise within the computer field, you will have an easier time finding your target market.
3. Reach out to members of your target audience by networking with business associates.
You may be able to connect with members of your target market through business or social contacts you have already made. The way to find out is to stay in touch with as many different friends and relatives as possible. Also, mention to them your new consulting business and the kinds of jobs you want to do. The more people you have seeking out your target businesses, the easier they will be to find.
4. Reach out to your target audience through professional or industry organizations.
Many business people do consulting within a certain profession or industry. Most of these groups have organizations to represent them, certify their members, and provide education, networking, and support for people in the profession or industry. If you are tied to one group in particular, join their organization. Take their classes and become certified if possible. Go on organizational forums and get acquainted with the people in the industry. Not only can you make contacts to help refer you to jobs, you may also find someone in the industry that needs your services within their own business.
5. Do an Internet marketing campaign.
An Internet campaign encompasses a vast variety of methods for getting the name and services of your consulting business into the public eye. You can make a professional website, do informative articles for directories that link back to your website, write press releases, have a social media marketing campaign, or write a blog. Internet marketing aimed at your consulting business’s target market will bring new customers into your business fast if it is handled correctly.