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
tidy up service Northbrook ..There are many different ways to improve link popularity for... Read More
This free way to promote or publicize your book or... Read More
"Ten Tips" articles are the easiest piece to write because... Read More
Are you ready to become an internet marketing expert? Are... Read More
I was busiy submitting some articles I ghost wrote for... Read More
By default, Microsoft Word automatically changes straight quotation marks (... Read More
Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
Many writers do not understand that the online writing business... Read More
All of us, the authors, know that to enhance our... Read More
It's stunning sometimes how far article marketing has come over... Read More
If you want to really make your article "SELL" then... Read More
Do you know why the "Chicken Soup for the Soul"... Read More
Writing a letter to your newspaper's editor is a privilege... Read More
This author started with a clean website and wrote 5... Read More
There's a new sort of ghost stalking the digital landscape.They... Read More
Sharing knowledge on the web can be a very powerful... Read More
The ezine article is of major importance to the world... Read More
Online writing is really self-publishing made easier and potentially much... Read More
Every webmaster knows that to gain ranking positions in search... Read More
Gathering information from interviews is really simple. You ask the... Read More
It is pretty obvious that content is king online. It... Read More
Start by Being QuotableIt's tough to stand out online. With... Read More
Chances are good that the next article or book you... Read More
One of the best ways to promote your website is... Read More
Article distribution is currently booming on the internet. Authors do... Read More
reliable home cleaners Buffalo Grove ..Your publicity dreams may include being featured in Forbes, Fortune,... Read More
Start by Being QuotableIt's tough to stand out online. With... Read More
If you market online, whether it be your own information... Read More
All writers aspire to recognition, but are we dedicated? Ambition... Read More
Whether you own your own affiliate website, or subscription website,... Read More
Content is an important component of your web site. Learning... Read More
Ease of Submission With so many article distribution sites out... Read More
Find definitions from A to G! ~~~~~~~~~~~ A ~~~~~~~~~~~ About... Read More
A large portion of your business relies on your ability... Read More
I get asked all the time, "Lorrie, how can I... Read More
Writing articles is one of the best ways to get... Read More
What's the most powerful marketing technique on the Web? Search... Read More
Writing can be fraught at the best of times but... Read More
Article authors who use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) keywords to... Read More
Are you a reluctant marketer for your book? Do you... Read More
"But I've only been on the Internet 3 months! How... Read More
Don't let overwhelm hold you back- follow this expert advice... Read More
Submitting Articles for redistribution is the best way to get... Read More
To be successful at any affiliate marketing program, you not... Read More
A recent debate started me thinking about how some marketing... Read More
I was asked to write an article on a short... Read More
It is important for all webmasters to realize that if... Read More
I once wrote an article in which I offered the... Read More
Many people which in online business world find difficulties in... Read More
Every successful website needs to be, what the experts consider,... Read More
Article Writing |