17 WAYS TO FIND CONSULTING CLIENTS

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1 17 WAYS TO FIND CONSULTING CLIENTS The following list isn t an exhaustive list, it s a short list of some of the many ways you can find new clients for your consulting, coaching or agency business. 1. Create a Local Business Alliance. Create a networking group consisting of 3-5 other people who also sell to the local businesses (or niche) that you target. For example, if you sell social media marketing management to restaurants, partner up with the person who handles their payroll, their payment processing, their P.O.S. systems, their insurance, their wine salesperson, etc. Offer 10% commission to anyone who refers a new customer with you and pay them residually 10% on every monthly payment because they will help retain your customer as well. 2. Google My Business Listing Unclaimed. Any business that has not claimed their listing on Google is missing out on a huge amount of customers and so can be easy sales. This is an indicator they need help with online marketing. We can find businesses who have not yet claimed their listings by entering the following structured search term into Google: Search formula: site:plus.google.com Is this your business? + [niche} + [city, state] Example: site:plus.google.com Is this your business? restaurant + houston, tx

2 3. Yelp.com. This strategy is particularly useful if you sell to restaurants, salons and other businesses people tend to search for using Yelp.com. Here s the Yelp search strategy to find qualified prospects: Go to Google.com and do a search exactly like this (substitute location or business type): site:yelp.com "watch video" + restaurant + dallas tx Why? Because this will pull up Yelp listings in Google of businesses that feature of Video on their Yelp listing/profile. Why is this important? Because having a video on your profile costs money, and often costs at a minimum $375/mo. to have an updated Yelp listing (on up to $1500+/mo. depending on the type of advertising package they ve purchased from Yelp). What does this tell you about them? They are a qualified prospect because they are already paying for local marketing and advertising. 4. Speaking Locally. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce and get involved. You can join for very little for a yearly membership and they are always looking for speakers for local events, including lunch- and- learns and other local business workshops they put on throughout the year. Create a brief speaking media kit, essentially a positioning statement, a bio, speaking topics and some testimonials and give it to your local Chamber so they know you re an option when they are in need of local speaker. Here s the directory of essentially every Chamber of Commerce in the United States. There are a lot of other organizations you can find who need local speakers and presenters at workshops, conferences or at their association meetings. o this is website of The Internet Public Library, which contains a search box that will allow you to search for associations

3 o - this website allows you to purchase the U.S. Directory of Associations, either in its entirety or by region or individual states o this is website of The Internet Public Library, which contains a search box that will allow you to search for associations. o - this website allows you to purchase the U.S. Directory of Associations, either in its entirety or by region or individual states Here is a list of associations that are often looking for speakers and they ALL have regional chapters and conferences. They all want a topic specific to their group digital targeting topics are hot. o FPA Financial Planners Association o ICF International Coach Federation o NAR National Association of Realtors o NAPO National Association of Professional Organizers o NRA National Restaurant Association o NAWBO National Association of Women Business Owners o And many more! Do some research. 5. Local Networking Groups. This goes with #4, as a member or even as a non member of your local Chamber of Commerce you can attend local chamber breakfasts, luncheons, and cocktail events.

4 This opens up the door for you to network with local business owners. Tip: Never focus on giving your business card out. Focus on getting to know business owners, find out why they started their business, etc. Take a genuine interest in other people and they ll ask for your card. Make sure to get their card so you can initiate the follow up.

5 6. Meetup Meetup.com. I call it the forgotten social network. It s still huge. And why not utilize the Internet s largest network of local groups to attract new clients, while helping you lead a community of your ideal potential clients? Go find a meetup (or start one) in your area and you ll have immediate access to other business owners, and some who may also be your alliance partners. 7. BNI. Particularly if you are a new business coach, consultant or agency owner, take a look into joining a BNI group near you. The mission of BNI is to help members increase their business through a structured, positive and professional referral marketing program that enables them to develop meaningful, long- term relationships with quality business professionals. Find a chapter here: a- chapter 8. LinkedIn Direct Outreach. Use direct outreach, be genuine and there is no reason to sound like a solicitor. If you find a client prospect who could use your help, simply ask them if they are open minded to some suggestions you have that you are happy to help them out with. Leverage Sales Navigator so you can leverage their prospecting strategies do your own digging, research for $79/mo. 9. Facebook Direct Outreach. You ll be surprised how many business owners you can reach, simply by friend requesting them or messaging them through their Facebook business page. But that s not a green light to spam them or send them a commercial. Everyone s human, and expect to be approached that way. Keep it simple, pay them a sincere compliment about their business and say something along the lines of I have some ideas that can help you if you re interested in hearing them let me know.

6 10. Facebook Page Interaction. Most people interact with other Facebook pages, but as their personal profile, not as their business page. If you want to post directly to the wall of a Facebook page as your page use the drop- down at the top right of the status update box to select the page you want to comment as. Choose which page you want to post with. Then add value, don t spam, solicit or sell your services. Add value to the conversation, the to post and post comments. Doing this can show your value and ultimately position you as an authority in your nice. When you comment and interact on very engaged pages, everyone who has reacted (liked/commented/shared) that same post gets notified that you ve also commented. This is why it s also important to be one of the last to comment on an engaged post. Find the pages in your niche or local market that are active and be proactive! 11. Building an Online Funnel. Yes, you ve seen dozens if not hundreds of Internet marketing gurus teaching this now. It does work and I dive into it a little more in the course. If you have the time and know how to make an online funnel, it s a lucrative way to get new clients to schedule appointments with you. 12. LinkedIn Groups. There is a rumor that LinkedIn Groups may be going away. This also applies to any forum or group online, but in essence sharing your content or value added articles into groups on LinkedIn is a proven way to get the attention of business owners particularly if you aren t trying to just pitch people or sell your services. 13. Audits. Website audits, SEO audits, and Social Media Audits all add value to any prospective customer s condition. And my suggestion is to offer them for free, even though you could also sell them if they are thorough enough. A business owner is always trying to evaluate their own business, but they don t have the experience or know how to truly evaluate their own digital marketing efforts. You can truly help the business owner here whether they eventually hire you

7 or not. Worse case, when a business colleague of theirs s talks about needing a new website, SEO or social media help, you ll be top of mind for someone they ll think of to refer. 14. Industry Events. Attending and sponsoring. At the end of 2010 I was one of a few businesses that paid to be a sponsor at a local seminar that was in town. It cost $10,000 and it was out of our budget at the time. It paid off, resulting in over $500k in new business over the following two years based on the relationships formed there that led to new clients. 15. Local newspaper ads. Go pick up as many local newspapers as you can. There are still local businesses that are wasting their money by advertising in the local newspaper. Many are paying hundreds per ad, per month (some thousands) to do this. They just need to be educated. 16. Lead lists. Infousa.com is just one of many lead list brokers online. Do some research, chances are there are industry specific lead lists for your nice. 17. Competitor clients. Clients of competitors have already proven they are willing to pay for consultants, coaches or agencies services like yours. Find them, scout them out, and if you can do better go for it. The strategy to is to add value here too like with an audit or an article that can help earn your trust, show your value and position you as another authority or expert that can help them get to the next level.