How To Get Consulting Clients

Have you decided to start a consulting business?

Congratulations! You have made a smart decision. This industry is growing fast and it looks like it is not going anywhere anytime soon.

However, as with any business, you need new clients right? Finding clients online is not as easy as it looks…

Not to sweat, though! I’m here to help.

After 15+ years of experience assisting consultants to find clients in an ever-evolving digital climate, in this article on how to get consulting clients, I will show you my top golden tips that continue to serve both myself and my current clients (see some of my results).

Quick Summary

In case you are in a rush, here is a rundown of important things to focus on for attracting consulting clients for your business:

Know your dream client well
Know what social media platforms they use
Use your free consultancy content to generate leads
Run lead-generation ads on social media
Have an easy-to-navigate landing page
Have a strong email marketing campaign
Use ad retargeting so potential consulting clients remember your business
Use a video sales letter (VSL)

This article discusses the most often overlooked golden tips for getting consulting clients for your business.

However, the most important thing you can do for your business is develop a top lead generation strategy that puts your business in front of dream clients that actually want to work with you!

Watch my free masterclass to learn how to develop a lead generation strategy that does just this.

How do I get more consulting clients?

1. Know your dream client well

Your consultancy business needs dream clients – those who can truly benefit from your expertise and services. But how do you identify them?

It’s not just about your potential client’s business size or industry niche; it’s about understanding their pain points and desired outcomes on a deeper level.

Your ideal clients are those who face specific challenges or pain points that you can solve. Individuals or organizations might need guidance and support to achieve their goals.

You need to speak their language and address their unique needs to attract them. You can only do this once you grasp who they are in the first place.

In my experience, I have found the following questions to really help when looking to understand a target audience on a deeper level:

Who are they? What are their demographics, such as age, gender, location, education, and income?
What are their interests and hobbies? What do they like to do in their free time, and what are their favorite brands, products, or services?
What are their goals and aspirations? What motivates them, and what are they striving to achieve personally or professionally?
What are their pain points and challenges? What are the obstacles they face, and what are the frustrations they experience?
How do they consume information? What channels do they use to get information, such as social media, blogs, podcasts, or email newsletters?
What are their objections and concerns? What might prevent them from buying your product or service, and how can you address those objections?

Once you have a clear answer to questions such as these, you can form a highly efficient and effective digital marketing campaign whereby you are getting your business in front of the right people. People that are interested in working with you.

If you need help attracting your ideal clients, check out ‘Step one’ in my free Masterclass video for some unique ways you can do this.

If you’ve taken the time to research your ideal clients, you’ll have a perfect idea of where they hang out on social media.

Whilst there are countless social media platforms where you could find consulting clients, the chances of them being on the leading social media platforms are very high so you are better off focusing your attention there to begin with.

The main ones are Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube.

So without guessing, you can go to the Facebook or TikTok ads platform, create an audience, test and see if your target audience is on that channel by targeting behaviours, interests, location, etc. These platforms have robust ad targeting.

For example, suppose you want to target high-net-worth individuals for your consultancy business. In that case, create targeted ads that pinpoint behaviours such as frequent flying, interests such as luxury items, and wealthy zip codes, just to name a few.

Keep in mind that in order for your social media strategy to be effective, you need to build trust with your target audience. You can do this by providing value.

For more on what social media platforms to consider for your paid ads, watch my free masterclass.

The quickest way you can build trust and familiarity with your dream clients you need to offer them value.

You can do this by offering prospective clients a taste of your consulting services. You know how to solve a problem for them. You probably know how to solve many.

So, aim to create educational content around a solution to one of their problems and offer that for free. When you do this, you strengthen the main building blocks of any relationship: familiarity and trust.

This educates your audience and allows you to build genuine connections and create opportunities to show prospective clients your unique value proposition.

You can also build social proof by sharing and engaging with helpful content.

For more on how you can do this in an impactful way, watch my free masterclass where I show you how to get your valuable content in front of potential consulting clients who need it.

4. Use your free consultancy content to generate leads

Now that you know where your dream consultancy clients are hanging out (what social channels they’re on) and what problems they face (your free educational content), you can start advertising to them.

In return for the free content, ask people to give you their contact details (name and email) so you can follow up with them in the future.

When you ask people for their names and email in return for free educational content, this is called lead generation.

To generate leads, you will need to be familiar with what both a lead-generating social media ad and a landing page are.

What is the difference between a regular social media ad and a lead-generating ad?

You can run social media ads for many reasons: to generate brand awareness, increase website traffic, promote products, or capture a potential customer’s contact information. A lead-generating ad does the latter.

This will cost some money, but you don’t have to spend much to start. You can get started for as low as $1,000 a month, and once you get some results, scale up whenever you’re ready.

The more you spend, the more results you can get.

This means you can generate leads on Facebook and TikTok without having a landing page.

However, I recommend using a landing page in conjunction with your paid ads if you want maximum results for your consulting business.

For more on how you can target your dream clients with paid ads, watch my free masterclass, where I show exactly what to do.

6. Have an easy-to-navigate landing page

Not only does a landing page look more professional, but it also gives you key information on how your new and potential clients engage with your brand and value proposition.

You can track metrics such as conversion and bounce rates, giving you a powerful opportunity to dial in your marketing strategy and enhance your messaging to resonate better with your target audience.

You can also integrate this into your social media marketing campaign. In your social media content, include clear calls-to-action (CTAs) that motivate your potential consulting clients toward your website.

For a landing page, you don’t need to spend much money on web development. Watch my free masterclass if you don’t have a landing page already (or want to learn more).

7. Have a strong email marketing campaign

Once you have the other steps in check, you will likely be generating leads for your consulting business. This means that you will have a list of emails of potential clients.

In this day and age, people need more time before making a purchase. With an email marketing campaign, you can continue following up with prospective clients who have already shown interest in your business.

You can even personalize your email messaging to speak to them directly based on what point in the buyer’s journey they are (information you can get from a good landing page).

This may sound like a lot of effort. However, many email marketing and all-in-one marketing platforms automate the entire process.

When you follow up on time, you prevent your new leads from losing interest after they have converted into new leads or even new consulting clients.

8. Use ad retargeting so potential consulting clients remember your business

You’ve found your dream clients. You’ve offered them your best educational content and directed them to your landing with a solid call to action; they’re even clicking on it! However, you find they disappear without converting into a lead.

Does this mean they are uninterested in your business?

No, not at all. It means they’ve been distracted, and you must remind them that you exist.

That is where ad retargeting comes in.

You can even target people who read and engage with your content frequently but have not subscribed yet.

9. Use a video sales letter (VSL)

The most effective way to generate qualified consulting leads is by using a video sales letter (VSL) as a lead magnet.

This works perfectly in conjunction with a targeting paid ads campaign.

In the VSL you will want to include the following:

Big problems of your potential client (pain points)
A solution(s) to such pain points
What your solution is and how you’re different
How they can schedule a call with you

Using a VSL, your ideal consulting clients and leads can qualify themselves, build trust with you, and determine whether or not your business will be a good fit for them. The benefit is that you will not waste time on leads that are not a good fit for you.

Watch my free masterclass training for an example of what a VSL looks like and for other must-knows regarding lead generation.

In Conclusion

Deciding to start a consulting business can be an exciting and profitable journey!

However, as with most businesses in this day and age, you will need to have a good understanding of how to get new clients using digital marketing strategies such as lead generation.

This can be a confusing and frustrating part of starting a new business. However, it is essential to keep in mind that this is a process that takes time, patience and understanding.

And if you stay on course and commit to learning and adapting to an ever-evolving digital landscape, you will eventually see success!

If you want to learn more about how to get consulting clients using up-to-date and relevant digital marketing techniques, watch my free masterclass for more.

FAQs for getting consulting clients

How do consultants get their first clients?

Consultants can get their first clients through digital marketing strategies such as social media, content marketing, and search engine optimization. By creating valuable and informative content that showcases their expertise, consultants can attract potential clients and build trust with their audience. Consistent branding and messaging across all digital platforms can also help to establish a strong online presence and attract more clients who are looking for specific services.

Building a good name by doing good work for clients is another effective way for consultants to acquire their first clients. Providing exceptional service and delivering tangible results can lead to positive word-of-mouth marketing and referrals from satisfied clients. By prioritizing client satisfaction and exceeding expectations, consultants can establish an excellent reputation and set themselves apart from their competitors.

Testimonials from satisfied clients can also be a powerful tool for consultants looking to attract new clients. By collecting and sharing testimonials on their website and social media channels, consultants can showcase their previous successes and demonstrate their ability to deliver results. Testimonials provide social proof and can help alleviate potential clients’ doubts or concerns about working with a consultant.

How do I market myself as a consultant?

To effectively market yourself as a consultant and attract new clients, first identifying your niche and target audience is essential. Clearly defining the services you offer and the clients you want to work with will help you tailor your messaging and approach to meet their needs.

It can be helpful to leverage your existing network to spread the word about your consulting services. Contact colleagues, friends, and other professional contacts and ask for referrals and recommendations. This can help you build a strong client base and establish your reputation as a knowledgeable and trusted consultant.

Make sure to consistently communicate your value proposition, support individual clients and showcase your expertise through your website, social media, and other marketing channels. This can include sharing case studies, testimonials, and other examples of successful projects you’ve worked on to demonstrate your ability to deliver results. By following these tips and focusing on delivering high-quality services to your clients, you can successfully market yourself as a consultant and grow your business over time.

How do independent consultants get clients?

Independent consultants can acquire clients in a number of ways. One approach is to leverage their professional network to reach out to potential clients via referrals and word-of-mouth. Attending industry events, participating in online forums, and connecting with clients on social media platforms like LinkedIn can all help expand a consultant or consulting firm’s reach and visibility.

Another strategy is to have a marketing consultant build a strong online presence through a well-designed website and active social media presence. By sharing valuable content highlighting their expertise and services, consultants can establish themselves as industry thought leaders and build credibility with potential clients.

Finally, independent consultants can explore the use of freelancing platforms like Upwork and Freelancer to find new clients and bid on relevant projects. However, regardless of the method used by other consultants to acquire clients, it is essential for consultants to prioritize delivering high-quality work and building trust with their clients to establish a strong reputation and encourage repeat business and referrals.

Ashley Davis

Ashley Davis (or ‘Ash’ for short) is the CEO & Founder of Skyline Social. For over 15 years, Ash has been helping business owners with lead generation. Ash specializes in helping businesses get high-quality leads, appointments and clients each month with automated digital marketing strategies. Learn more about the author here.