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 Lake Forest ..To be successful at any affiliate marketing program, you not... Read More
Writing articles related to your business is a great way... Read More
Submitting articles once or twice a week can yield 15... Read More
Currently many online writers and would-be online writers, feel very... Read More
Most all ezine publishers need fresh content. Article writing is... Read More
The experts are always telling us that getting paid for... Read More
There's a new sort of ghost stalking the digital landscape.They... Read More
1. Write to one person.When you're writing your article picture... Read More
As you write the outline for your next article, there... Read More
If you are an article writer, you may have been... Read More
Anxiety, apprehension, cold feet, consternation, dismay, distress, dread, fear, fright,... Read More
Writing articles that are available for reprint is an excellent... Read More
It's no secret-link exchanges are dying a painful death. And... Read More
Take a look around the Web and you'll find thousands... Read More
I am sure that there would have been a moment... Read More
One question I get asked all the time is how... Read More
Well maybe it's not that "little known" but some people... Read More
The five essential questions to be answered in your article... Read More
When I was first advised to start writing articles, this... Read More
If you are using articles to promote your business then... Read More
You, too, can become a recognized expert in your specialized... Read More
Writing articles, and promoting them for publication, is one of... Read More
Are you an Article Marketer? If so, you know that... Read More
Speak to an Audience that Reaches across the GlobeAs a... Read More
Submitting Articles for redistribution is the best way to get... Read More
green cleaning service Deerfield ..I've been able to distinguish 3 main categories that people... Read More
1. Participate in chat rooms related to your targeted audience.... Read More
Publicity?you're business can survive without it, but it certainly won't... Read More
What's the quickest, easiest way to get exposure for your... Read More
Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
There is probably no easier way of earning extra money... Read More
You want your business to be noticed by thousands daily.... Read More
As an article author, sometimes you can only pull so... Read More
A lot of great ideas happen when two or more... Read More
This is a perennial question among writers and wannabe's. Many... Read More
Article authors who use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) keywords to... Read More
Okay, I admit it: I'm a keen people-watcher. (Most writers... Read More
IntroductionThere are two ways to submit to magazine editors.One is... Read More
So you've decided to market your home-based copywriting business through... Read More
Do you know one of the most powerful marketing techniques... Read More
Last month, I began promoting Jason Potash's "Article Announcer." I... Read More
[Disclosure: I went into ezinearticles.com very innocently. I... Read More
How does a writing agency market itself effectively in a... Read More
Writing articles related to your business is a great way... Read More
Writing a great deal of articles myself, I see a... Read More
Writing articles is one of the best ways to get... Read More
Most all ezine publishers need fresh content. Article writing is... Read More
1. Write to one person.When you're writing your article picture... Read More
Advertisements are one of the biggest indicators of a magazine's... Read More
Every time I run a course on Freelance Writing, students... Read More
Article Writing |