Building trust and marketing your services
Abstract:
It is impossible not to communicate, and your information service itself has a strong communication impact; it is advisable to harmonise the information exchange between your enterprise and its environment according to your business interest. The communication is based on understanding the client’s often tacit requirements. It is important to harmonise the different communication channels, tools and messages. Successful communication fulfils the information needs of the clients, but it may also lead to innovations and inspirational surprises.
Similar to other organisations, the information consultant may communicate, maintain their image and build trust in three directions:
Clients and prospective clients. Aim: trust and reputation as a basis for sales.
Partners, peers and/or competitors. Aim: maintenance of professional image for possible cooperation.
Suppliers. Aim: enabling frictionless inputs in the organisations.
Sometimes there are no strict lines among these groups as the grouping up may cause controversial directions in subcontracting – based upon the requirements of the actual project.
Most prospective clients have no idea of your capabilities as an information consultant. Many information consultants expressed that their market reach continues to be plagued by a lack of understanding on the part of potential clients, concerning the nature and value of an information professional’s services. It can be a challenge to convince new clients of the benefits inherent in our unique skill sets, and to overcome arguments along the lines of ‘with the web, we don’t have to worry about getting information.’ In this aspect the Internet is often the biggest competitor of the information professional. To emphasise this many consultants have said over the years, ‘It’s not as if you are selling something everybody is clamouring for … on the contrary.’ Few claim to love the experience of reaching out to potential new clients; many rely heavily on word-of-mouth referrals.
You would be hard-pressed to find courses that teach the art of enticing new clients in a ‘cold call’ scenario. Similarly, the art of price-setting, contract negotiation and budgeting resources (one’s own and those of subcontractors) is an integral part of the marketing and sales process. This is often only learned by doing.
When you are dealing with that crucial first personal contact, you have approximately 30 seconds to initiate interest for your service. Prepare a marketing strategy or ‘elevator [lift] speech’ in advance and practise it so that when this opportunity comes, the words will flow. The description should emphasise the benefits of your service.
Boiled down, marketing is an activity that successfully matches someone looking for something with someone who has it to offer. In your case, marketing translates into whatever activity will help find those who need your services – whether they know they need them or not!
It has been said that every activity a consultant undertakes is an exercise in marketing. Every conversation at a trade show, every interaction with current clients, and every sports event and party can potentially lead to new business. At the very least, asking the right questions whenever the opportunity arises can help deepen your understanding of developments in a relevant industry and its players.
In all likelihood, most of us have used the services of a small local business discovered through a flyer dropped in the postbox. In the case of a consulting business, the flyer/ classified ad/Yellow Pages approach will probably not suit you, because potential clients are not neatly grouped and the often confidential services which are tied to individual customers require a more intimate climate. Therefore you will need a variety of marketing and public relations methods. Public relations is the conscious building of trust in different groups of stakeholders. Word of mouth by satisfied customers, emphasising your qualities, will enhance your status and the building of trust between you and the client where blanket advertisements do not.
Understanding makes reputation and detects niches
The most important subjects to the customers are their own ideas and aims. If you can identify and promote these, you may win. ‘Know and understand – really understand – thy client.’ When an organisation entrusts a consultant with a project, the reasons can range from perceived convenience through strategic advantage to cost containment. But without demonstrable value for the client, the relationship would not persist. In other words, we emphasise the quality of the relationship rather than the quality of the consulting work. We take for granted that professionals will supply top-notch work and make the personal effort to learn about the client’s business culture. Respondents spend relatively little time discussing qualities such as knowledge of the client’s industry, price-competitiveness, discretion and creativity (asking the questions the client would not have thought about).
The client must feel a sense of total conviction about your ability to deliver on the job.
‘You know you have built a good relationship when the client instinctively begins to turn to you for assistance and advice in matters unrelated to the original project. It’s not done overnight, but with time it is possible to demonstrate the critical mass of sound judgement, insight and savvy that will make the client take your word, no matter what the topic under discussion.’
‘A reputation as someone who can be counted on to come through no matter what – and then demonstrating that trust as being justified time and again – is a powerful lever in achieving and maintaining a successful relationship with clients.’
Reference and keep the requirements, the tacit demands and the estimated future needs of the customers in your mind. Scan the environment around you and your clients’ businesses; often you may find market niches. Allowing for a sudden business change, conflict, merger, crisis or success, you may offer your services in connection with these. Possible clients who in the past indicated little interest in your services may now find themselves in need of a fresh and new approach or quick information on the current subject.
Your ‘business attire’: creating and maintaining image
Having a clear image can promote excellent channels of communication. Your company’s name makes the first impression on the prospective clients. It is beneficial to include the aspects of information and consulting. The name is often sourced from the founder’s name. Your e-mail and website domain has to mirror your name for the client. Using free or cheap solutions may undermine your professional reputation.
One of the most common mistakes in graphical image design is that the image is limited according to the consultant’s idea and personal taste. Consult a trusted targeted group of prospective clients to comment on your proposed image, so you may get to know their ideas and taste before briefing a graphic designer.
Naturally, you will want your business website and card to be visually intriguing, your e-mail and letterhead to catch the eye and your report covers to project authority. You will need a logo (even if only an artistic rendition of your business name) that will appear consistently on all your proposals, invoices, written memos, etc. So you will need a suite of image templates. Bigger companies even use an image handbook to control their image issues and ensure that the items of image (name, slogan, graphical issues, office interior, etc.) may appear on all territory, issues and materials of the business. Obtaining the services of a good graphic and web designer is a wise investment. The web designer’s knowledge is paramount to obtaining a web presence. The failure of any of these aspects lowers the online impact.
The prospective client usually checks your organisation on the web before or after the first contact: whether you are listed in business directories, have a good rank in web searches, have updated information on social network sites, and have a professional – impressive, not flashy – website. That is why the following basic data is a must on your site:
It is vital to refresh your site regularly with news on your business, news, articles written by you/about you, or the electronic presentations held by you. Your message should also reach the clients on streaming audio or video format. The information channels may pull media such as your website, blog, social network sites or pull media such as e-mail, newsletter, RSS and Twitter messages. (Information technology develops rapidly and you have to choose the tool or channel on which you can interact with the individuals of your target group at their convenience.)
Among the public relations activities of information consultants, some of the most important activities are presentations, publications or other types of presence on conferences or papers which are of interest to prospective clients. On these non-sales occasions you indirectly demonstrate your capabilities, which may overall warrant the targeted public trust.
Professional visibility
When it comes to finding clients, you cannot overestimate the value of having a superb reputation among professional peers. Those considering a consulting career somewhat further into the future will want to prepare for it by building a profile. It requires effort above and beyond the day job, but the resulting network expansion is well worth it. The aims of networking are:
professional development (meeting with colleagues faced with the same or already solved problems);
collecting possible partners for subcontracting and joint projects;
to grow a professional image and reputation (potential clients often collect information from other specialists).
Your capabilities and professionalism may also be demonstrated on social network sites and your website by a list of references, a blog or forum for professionals. There are a lot of consultants who offer coaching and hold presentations in conferences. These are communicated and presented by way of their website.
Another effective avenue is professional association work. It helps to be a member of one or more associations so as to participate in conferences, receive newsletters and journals, etc. Many consultants advocate going beyond membership to playing an active role by joining a committee, running for a position on the board, contributing to the association’s publications, offering mentoring services, holding webinars and speaking or leading seminars at association conferences or trade shows. Volunteering to write for publications read by the individuals you hope will become your clients is a good way to get your name out. Being a member of virtual professional networks, writing posts and leaving quality comments on mainstream professional blogs also helps establish your reputation among peers.
It should be emphasised that contributing to professional or trade associations and writing for trade journals is a wise investment, leading to that ‘Oh yes, I’ve heard of you’ reaction you want when introduced. The other side of this coin is an expectation that you will, for example, give presentations at conferences without compensation ‘because it is a marketing opportunity for you, isn’t it?’ Some consultants find this assumption true, while others say definitely don’t. This is your call. Of course, you have to strike a balance: while ‘strutting one’s stuff’ in public and adding the name of a prestigious conference or conferences to your speaking roster has its advantages, it is prudent to guard professional knowledge you want clients to pay you for.
Word-of-mouth: happy clients do marketing for you
‘Word of mouth’ is recognised by most information professionals as the most important means to get new clients. This is also known from studies of other business sectors offering different types of services. By far the most effective means of getting new business is the personal referral. Clients find it comforting to deal with a person respected by someone they already trust. It is difficult for even the most eye-catching brochure to spark the interest of a sincere ‘You must call Anita! She is fabulous!’ Consultants rely on and treasure their referral relationships with other consultants. You are talking about word of mouth, not advertising in a journal.
Cold-calling is a difficult sales method at the best of times, as any newspaper subscription or water filtration telemarketing person can testify. One approach that might work is to approach individuals who have shown interest in a topic related to your services (for example, attendees at a seminar). It helps to have a known name opener, such as ‘George Vanik suggested you might be interested in …’ – this is especially relevant when Mr Vanik is a well-known authority in the field.
Trite as it may seem, you have to get to know people. Tablemates at a function, seatmates at a conference session, the people next in line at a buffet – all are potential sources of connections to business. Introduce yourself and ask questions to discover what they do. For example, ‘What interests you most about this conference? Have you found this session worthwhile? How will you apply this information in your work?’ Making a subsequent ‘lukewarm call’ becomes much easier if one can say, ‘You may recall we chatted at the recent awards dinner.’
Naturally, you want your clients so delighted with your work that they sing your praises. You may have to ask for it, though. There is nothing wrong with politely requesting, upon receiving compliments for your work, ‘I really appreciated hearing those kind words, and I hope you will repeat the compliment to others who may benefit from the type of work I do.’
Strongly worded compliments – such as, ‘We couldn’t have pulled it off without the expert help of Ventura Associates!’ – may serve as excellent testimonials in the blog, website or promotional material, so don’t hesitate to ask permission to quote. It is up to you and the happy client to decide whether to show the client’s name and company name or simply use a generic description, such as ‘marketing manager at a hightech firm.’ Don’t hesitate to offer to write the testimonial yourself, as opposed to asking, ‘Would you put that in writing?’ Clients are busy; they might be more than happy to sign a draft you prepared.
There is also a downside to word-of-mouth marketing. Bad will of others and what we call ‘bad mouthing’ can occur. If this does happen, it is best to react quickly and use the basic rule of crisis communication, which is ‘outline the possible issues and come up with a plan. Do not blame others.’ Handle the crisis as a challenge where your competencies can be demonstrated. Make and demonstrate that you have measures to avoid the same pitfall or anticipate the same situations in the future. The reward of crisis communication and complaint-handling is when the trust level of the client exceeds their expectations.
Electronic promotional brochure
Unless you are a household name, you need a concise articulation of what you do. Prepare documentation that describes the nature of your services and some key previous assignments. Such descriptions help when your clients are asked to explain to their peers or senior managers the reasons they are hiring you and justifying why they chose you. Over time, that ‘promo piece’ will evolve as you add new projects to your accomplishments list and drop others off.
As you start out your business, you may need to list some accomplishments stemming from your earlier employment, but that is no different from what one sees in a functional résumé. A typical service profile contains:
a statement of the type of services on offer;
examples of the types of situations in which those services are helpful;
a description of qualifications and experience;
Note: The latter two lists are probably best split, because clients may prefer not to have made public what they hired you for, even though they are quite happy for the world to know that you were hired. Secure permission for inclusion from clients in advance.
Of course, the quality of writing and appearance of a service profile should reflect the level of quality you deliver in assignments. It’s a good idea to ‘test’ the profile to see if it communicates the key points effectively.
Electronic formats – a video, presentation and streaming audio or downloadable print material – on your website offer lower costs and the possibility of quicker refreshing than the traditional printed type.
The electronic ‘brochure’ or relevant segments can attach easily to an e-mail. The challenge here is to demonstrate why clients should hire you without giving away information or tips you want to be paid for. One approach is to post a summary of conference presentations – after all, what was said in a speech is public anyway – and post links to published articles.
Chapter 6 checklist
Know your clients’ favourite periodicals, often-visited conferences, memberships in professional associations.
Know the most-used information channels of your clients.
Make sure that you are always easy to reach by your potential clients.
Make sure that your professional image is coherent and consistent (logo, colours, website, etc.).
Remember to list your satisfied clients or cases in your electronic brochure and website.
When did you last test your elevator (lift) speech? Did you reach the wow factor?