A Consultant could be an expert about absolutely anything.
Calling yourself a "consultant" demands further clarification. A consultant who? What specific problems do you handle? And who needs what you know? Everyone? (Never true) Businesses selling to seniors? (A precisely defined niche) Success depends on how clearly you can define yourself and what you offer. How easily can potential clients understand it?
You provide clients more than your expert knowledge and problem-solving skills. Your delivery style (tricks) are every bit as valuable as your knowledge base. We all relate to some businesses (personally and professionally) more effectively than to others. Great match-ups require something akin to a mating call to help a consultant find and connect with ideal clients.
Every consultant is unique in important ways. Your challenge is to express those significant intangibles - so they set you apart from others using the same job title. Do clients understand what you can do for them? How you're different from the competition? Why they'd prefer you?
Article Marketing is Your Ideal Stage
Whether you're selling a service, speaking or training, nothing persuades like offering a sample. Writing articles that highlight your style and expertise does that for you. A meaty, 600 to 800 word article is long enough to deliver a tangible taste.
Once it's widely posted, the message can be read by thousands. Some readers will search for what else you've said, or click over to your website. Writing repeated in-depth articles further establishes your niche, point of view, and expertise. They're building your name recognition and readership in short order.
Your stock-in-trade is information, so packaging it into articles makes you a content creator. The Internet voraciously demands a steady diet of new material. Websites, ezines (and now blogs) efficiently deliver ideas to targeted readers. But sad to say, too many articles consist of rehashed, low-grade material. Stand out with fresh, professional-quality information. Being a cut above builds respect and trust - a must for doing business down the road.
Local Search can Further Define Your Market
Unlike a plumber or day care center, most consultants needn't be confined to the local arena. Your Internet exposure connects you to a national or global audience, if that's your goal. But if your target market is closer to home, articles still help to position you.
Recent research by The Kelsey Group show that 70% use the Internet to make local buying decisions. And nowadays, 36% of search engine queries request local search results. That means the person includes a geographic term in their search engine query. For example, a query with: "employee benefit consultant" + Denver only lists the small pool of appropriate Denver providers.
Every consultant needs to make sure their information appears in local search queries, http://www.yellowpagesage.com/localsearch.html. The trend toward local search is growing quickly. Businesses can easily be left out-which makes them unfindable by online searchers. Who can afford to miss 70% of their client base? Having your own website isn't necessary - but still helpful for a variety of reasons.
Potential Clients will Check You Out Online
Surveys reveal that over half of respondents consider search engines a better source of buying information than Yellow Pages, newspapers or magazines. When someone enters your name or company into Google (in quotes), what comes up?
It helps if your name is unusual. If not, follow up with "search within results" for a qualifier term (like your specialty, "employee benefits") to find your cites.
In just a few moments, searchers get a picture of your professional standing and scope of recognition. They're likely to be swayed by what they see. Who mentions you, and what are they saying? What kinds of links come to your website? If you've been publishing articles, they'll also show up - enhancing your credibility and incoming links.
In my own case, a Google search for my name showed about 100 cites before I started article promotions. Now that's well over 3,000. So many cites boosted my website traffic and Page Rank as well.
If you haven't gone "ego surfing" on Google for mentions of your name, you should. Because the public will. Make sure there's plenty of stuff for them to find that does you proud.
Copyright 2005 Off the Page
Dr. Lynella Grant Consultant and Author - Promote yourself, business, website, or book with online articles http://www.promotewitharticles.com Free how-to. Or let me write and submit your articles online for you. No learning curves (719) 395-9450
efficient cleaning crew Northbrook ..A ghostwriter, as one may think is not a writer... Read More
If you want to really make your article "SELL" then... Read More
1) Don't use all capitals in your title:People don't like... Read More
Writing for web content is one of the easiest ways... Read More
I've noticed a disturbing trend recently of articles suggesting that... Read More
I have a confession to make.I think in "articles."As a... Read More
Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
Writing articles that are available for reprint is an excellent... Read More
Writers have one basic need -- readers. We all want... Read More
Writing articles is possibly the best way to generated free... Read More
If you're sick of being #987 for your best Google... Read More
Abandon your frustrations and get a fresh start by trying... Read More
This is the "real" Money Maker in the Mail Order... Read More
A revolutionary marketing device that I call article marketing I... Read More
One of the most common blunders by those using article... Read More
Online PR in the form of website and ezine article... Read More
Article distribution is currently booming on the internet. Authors do... Read More
The biggest challenge facing any online business today is how... Read More
Most business owners are overwhelmed with the day to day... Read More
A simple technique to increase web site traffic is using... Read More
Don't let overwhelm hold you back- follow this expert advice... Read More
I've been involved in publishing for over a decade now... Read More
How does a writing agency market itself effectively in a... Read More
We've all been there. We hear about how articles will... Read More
Writing articles for online newsletters and websites can be a... Read More
cleaning lady near Wilmette ..All writers aspire to recognition, but are we dedicated? Ambition... Read More
There's a new sort of ghost stalking the digital landscape.They... Read More
We all know that article writing is a great way... Read More
If you have writing skills and want to use your... Read More
One of the best ways to build credibility and promote... Read More
It is pretty obvious that content is king online. It... Read More
Understanding the rules of correct formatting for online articles will... Read More
Last month, I began promoting Jason Potash's "Article Announcer." I... Read More
The five essential questions to be answered in your article... Read More
Not every web designer has the time ? or skills... Read More
Writing and distributing articles on the internet is one of... Read More
Inspirational articles were once limited to self-help and religious publications,... Read More
Hey! Who's that I see, typing feverishly as brilliant ideas... Read More
Marketing on a budget is tough. This is a universal... Read More
If you write web content, it may be a mystery... Read More
A few years ago as a webmaster with no money,... Read More
Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
Once you learn the benefits of article writing, you may... Read More
Although this may sound like a funny metaphor, if you... Read More
You're Invited... Visualize your article going out like a party... Read More
Article authors who use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) keywords to... Read More
MS: Bob, how important have Ezine Articles been in achieving... Read More
Back when I was in college, I belonged to one... Read More
If you're writer, I am sure sometimes you may have... Read More
There is no doubt that Spam has affected online business... Read More
Article Writing |