Consulting is an incredibly rewarding field of business, but making a name for yourself can be challenging. Learn about the top five hurdles to running a successful consulting business and discover how you can overcome them.
1. Getting Your Name Out There
Name recognition is one of the most important factors in building your brand as a consultant, but no matter which industry you have chosen, there is always competition. Professional-quality business cards provide a quick and effective way to get your name out there to other professionals in your field for fast-paced real world networking.
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2. Getting Noticed
In a sea of names and faces, your consulting business needs to stand out in order to generate leads. Think about what makes your services unique from specific career experiences to your consulting style. Use those qualities to carve out a niche for yourself as a consultant within your chosen industry niche. For example, if you are a consultant who has experience helping small businesses grow into larger organizations, use past client testimonials to demonstrate your expertise.
3. Staying Organized
Keeping track of the leads you generate and the new contacts you make is the key to future success. You never know when that person you met at a conference could need a consultant or knows someone who does. You don’t have to keep every detail on file to stay organized. A simple business card index with some notes about when and where you met each contact is perfectly sufficient for staying in touch. Email lists and spreadsheets can offer more in-depth organization. The same practice works for managing client information.
4. Lead Generation
There are a variety of ways to generate new leads, from online mailing lists to presentations, but by far one of the best ways you can generate attention for your consulting business is to network with other professionals. Handing out high-quality business cards and other dynamic print materials lets you make a professional first impression in the middle of a busy conference. Professionals who are interested in growing their networks and skills are more likely to show up at networking events, which makes conferences and other industry events a great place for consultants to generate new leads.
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5. Low-Quality Materials
Business cards and other print materials printed on quality stock ensure that your contacts can keep your cards in good condition for longer. Research shows that 90 percent of business cards are tossed away within a week, largely due to wear. Quality print materials last longer, encouraging the recipient to keep them on hand for longer, which increases the chance that he or she will turn to you for consulting help in the future.
Overcoming Obstacles for Successful Consulting Practice
Communication is at the root of each of these obstacles for successful consulting. Without a means of getting your name and services out to the market of professionals looking for consulting assistance, it is difficult to gain traction in the industry. High-quality card products offered by DGI offer a dynamic and memorable way to share your information on the go. Because these materials are durable and designed to impress, recipients are significantly more likely to keep them and remember your name when they need a consultant.
