Marketing your consulting business can be time-consuming. It can be challenging to find clients who want and will pay for your services. Here are 10 tips to help you generate new business.

1. Define your niche market. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Instead, capitalize on what you do well and focus on attracting clients who need those services. It’s tempting when you are just starting out to work with anyone who offers to pay, but focus on those people who want what you provide, will make good clients, and are likely to refer the type of business you want.
2. Create your elevator pitch. Create a compelling answer to “What do you do for a living?” that clearly defines who you help and how your services benefit them.
3. Clearly define the features and benefits of your services. Make the advantages of doing business with you easy to understand by explaining how clients will benefit.
4. Create a free report. Many people hate networking because they feel they are “tooting their own horn.” If you can offer prospects something they can use, you will feel much more comfortable “helping” others rather than “selling your services.”
5. Learn why clients buy from you. The better you understand your prospects’ motivations and reasons for hiring you, the more effective your marketing will be. No one likes to be “sold,” but they do like buying. Put your clients’ interests above your own and focus on helping them solve their problems.
6. Encourage referrals. Set an expectation for referrals when you propose your working agreement. Tell your clients that part of working with you means they will refer business to you if they feel you have done a great job. This will motivate you to provide the best service you can to clients.
7. Build a web presence. Demonstrate your expertise by creating an informative website and networking with prospects and industry professionals online through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.
8. Partner with other businesses that serve your market. What other companies do business with your clients before, during, and after working with you? Can you partner with them to offer your clients a broader range of services?
9. Be opportunistic. Be proactive in soliciting business from prospects. If you have your eye on a company you want to work with, start networking to get your foot in the door. If you see a potential opportunity in your marketplace to offer a new service, take advantage of it quickly.
10. Consider offering a “free sample.” If you are brand new and need experience, develop a way to offer a “free sample” of your services. Be careful, though. It can be easy to be taken advantage of if you start offering all your services pro bono. Clearly define what you will do for free, with the expectation that if your client likes your work, he or she will start paying your fee after a specific time.

Starting a consulting business requires flexibility above all else. While you can’t be everything to everyone, under-promising and over-delivering is a great way to build rapport, trust, and long-term relationships.

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