Branding for Consultants

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR CONSULTANTS

Branding Your Firm

The Big Question

“What do you do?”

Workshop Objectives

The workshop aims to help you “brand” your consulting business (define and explain your niche):

Thought process

Exercises

Examples

Discussion Items

Introductions

What is a niche and why do I need one?

How to define your niche

Positioning - How to explain your niche

Sales Lead Dynamics Works with B2B service professionals,

primarily small consulting firms (1 – 10 employees)

Mission – Help clients find more sales leads Services

Strategy - Positioning and Branding Execution – Managing marketing projects;

making introductions; booking speaking & writing gigs

“Noodging” – Ensuring client completes his/her business development tasks, esp. networking

What is a Niche?

Your Expertise (Accounting, Marketing etc)

+ Target Market (Industry, Company Size etc)

OR Situation/Condition – Turnaround, Product

Launch

Example of A Niche

Specialty - Functional Area – IT Specialty – Installing CRM Systems

Target Market – Industry – Manufacturing Number of Salespeople: 50 - 250 Location - Northeast

Why do I need a niche?

Colleagues understand what you do and can refer you

Prospects understand what you do and determine if they need you

Market your services efficiently Target industries Networking venues Speaking & Writing

Position yourself as an expert

What is Your Expertise?

Functional Area – Finance, Marketing, Sales, HR etc

Specialty – Examples Finance – Budgeting, Controls HR – Training and Development Marketing – PR and Communications

Industry – Manufacturing, Banking etc Company Size: Fortune 1000, Middle

Market etc

What is your target market?

Demographics – Industry, company size, location etc

Situations/Conditions – Turnarounds, product launches

Psychographics – What the prospect wants/fears

Crafting your message

Step #1 – Define Your Niche

Step #2 – Explain it

What is the prospect’s

"Pain”?How can you help me make more money

by:

Increasing Revenue? Reducing Costs? Saving Time? Saving/Eliminating Effort?

Elements of Your Message

Who - Target Market What - Specialty Pain - Problem You Solve How – Results You Achieve Value – More revenue, lower costs etc Proof – Case Studies, Client

Testimonials

Positioning Statement - Simple

“We help IT Directors (target market) get projects completed faster (value) by getting IT professionals to work together more effectively (results).

Positioning Statement - Complex “I help large packaged goods companies

(Target Market) understand why consumers decide to buy one brand over another (Specialty). For example just last week I presented findings to a client where we uncovered X, Y, Z. (Results) It’s really interesting stuff that will likely to lead to $200 million in new sales (Value) over the next three years if they implement our recommended changes.”

Parsing your Positioning

Target Market – CPG Companies Specialty – Market Research Need/Problem – Looking for Growth Value – Additional Sales Proof – Previous Work

Maintain Your Focus

You can accept business from ANYPLACE BUT

Look for business in only a FEW places

Thank You

Peter HelmerSales Lead Dynamics

[email protected]