Three Marketing Tips Every Professional Services Firm Should Implement Right Now
An overall strategic marketing plan is the foundation upon which all successful professional services marketing campaigns are built. However, recognizing that various restraints (staffing, time, budget, etc.) may delay the development of a guiding plan, there are some fundamental practices you can begin implementing in the meantime to grow your business. These simple steps are proven, effective ways for a professional services firm to generate viable leads and acquire new clients.
1. Identify and cultivate referral sources. What other organizations or types of professionals interact with your target audience? Perhaps they are accountants, attorneys, bankers, or real estate agents. Look for networking opportunities with these individuals. Most often, you can develop a relationship that will provide mutual benefits and help your overall referral network. Our experience and supporting research have proven time and again there is no more powerful driver of business than the recommendation of a trusted resource. Never underestimate this power and the opportunity to be the first call a potential client makes based on that recommendation. Inherent to this effort is, of course, a commitment to follow up on any referrals that are sent your way.
2. Evaluate your online presence, beginning with your website. The technical aspect of a website evaluation (SEO, responsive design, etc.) is obviously critical to the success of one’s web presence, but for the purposes of today’s discussion, I’ll stick more to presentation and usability.
Start by taking an honest and thorough look at your website. Does it properly reflect your brand, representing the essence of who you are and what truly differentiates you from your competitors? Too often, websites from a specific type of organization all tend to look the same and convey the same general message, failing to make an impact on the site visitor. Your site should be designed and written with the visitor in mind, conveying information that they want and need in a language that they understand. In other words, talk to your customers in terms they understand, not in your own industry jargon.
In short, think “user experience” and strive to provide the best one possible. Over 90 percent of B2B customers are researching online before making a decision or serious inquiry. This carries over into all categories, so you don’t want to miss this opportunity to capture a prospect’s attention and tell your story.
3. Think internal to present a united external front. Regardless of how large your team is, it’s very important that every member speaks with the same voice and represents your organization in a consistent manner. This certainly does not mean that everyone needs to be a marketing professional or an expert on all of your services. However, everyone in your office should understand and be able to effectively convey the essence of who you are as an organization. Although it’s a bit of an over simplification, this could be roughly compared to the concept of your “elevator speech.” In a short amount of time at any given opportunity, how do you want your firm to be described? For a stronger message, take this beyond facts and figures and focus on elements that set you apart from your competition. An added benefit to having all employees on the same page is a sense of unity and improved morale. Each individual feels invested and included, thus becoming an even stronger advocate of your organization.
While you’re building out your full marketing strategy, these are helpful tips that can make an impact for your organization *right now*. None of these require large financial investments, but they can bring about big returns. It’s simply a matter of pulling together your team and taking inventory of your current state as an organization. From there, you can move forward into more discussions about marketing strategy.
To get our latest articles when they are posted, please subscribe by e-mail or RSS.
