How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Consulting Business

Write a book
The purpose of writing a book is to promote your expertise. You can write and self-publish a book using a print-on-demand website (such as www.lulu.com or www.cafepress.com) on a topic that is hot in your industry. You can sell the book on consulting websites and at public speaking engagements. Book sales are another lead-gathering tactic, where you can then communicate with book buyers to convert them into a consulting client.

1. Gather qualified leads and followers in order to grow your subscriber list and database.
2. Nurture the qualified leads and followers in your database by consistently getting in front of them, in various ways, with information about your consulting services.
3. Convert the leads into clients and generate revenue by introducing them to your consulting services.

One important factor to keep in mind is that marketing a consulting business is a process. You cannot conduct a marketing activity one time and then decide that it is a complete failure because you do not see immediate results. You must take consistent action in implementing your marketing strategies for at least six months to a year.

Dress professionally. Wear what you would expect the client to be wearing, or better. If you look sloppy, clients will believe your work is sloppy and will refrain from working with you.

Minimize any negative aspects that could be misconstrued as unprofessional, such as body language or appearance.

brand is really about how current and potential customers perceive it to be. Finding the balance between how you want your brand to be perceived and how it is actually perceived is the key to successful branding.

What feeling are you trying to convey to your clients? Jot down on a piece of paper any adjectives that describe the feelings that your business should conjure up in the minds of your customers.

As a consultant, you must have strong self-discipline to get projects done in a timely manner. If you do not force yourself to work and you let procrastination run your life, you will quickly go out of business. Procrastination is your enemy, and it will do everything it can to kill your business.

Rather than try to create a market for your business, create your business to fill the need of a particular market.