Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants E-Book

Jay Conrad Levinson

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Seitenzahl: 470

Beschreibung

Trusted advice on successful consulting from the authors of the bestselling Guerrilla Marketing series Consulting is entering the era of the guerrilla client-buyers with a glut of information at their fingertips and doubts about the value consultants add. Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants is the first book to reveal how guerrilla marketing can transform today's challenges into golden opportunities for winning profitable work from the new breed of consulting clients. Packed with information, this step-by-step guide details the 12 marketing secrets every consultant should know, the anatomy of a marketing plan, Web sites, sources of free publicity, direct-mail marketing, winning proposals, and more. Jay Conrad Levinson (San Rafael, CA) is the Chairman of the Board of Guerrilla Marketing International and the author or coauthor of more than 30 books, including the bestselling Guerrilla Marketing series. Michael W. McLaughlin (Mill Valley, CA) has been a partner with Deloitte Consulting since 1994.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I - Marketing for Consultants the Guerrilla Way

Chapter 1 - Why Consultants Need Guerrilla Marketing

• CAN CLIENTS HEAR YOU NOW?

• THE NATIVES ARE RESTLESS

• ROOTS OF SKEPTICISM

• THE EMERGENCE OF THE GUERRILLA CLIENT

• THE NEW BUYING ENVIRONMENT

• BRANDING IS IN A COMA

• WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?

• FEAST OR FAMINE

• WHAT YOU WILL GET

Chapter 2 - What Is Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants?

• YOU ARE THE PRODUCT

• VALUE, VALUE, VALUE

• TRADITIONAL VERSUS GUERRILLA MARKETING

• SIX PRINCIPLES OF GUERRILLA MARKETING FOR CONSULTANTS

• FOLLOWING YOUR PLAN

• WHAT GUERRILLA MARKETING ISN’T

Chapter 3 - Thirteen Guerrilla Marketing Secrets

• SECRET 1: SELL YOURSELF FIRST

• SECRET 2: DON’T TORCH THE TOUCH POINTS

• SECRET 3: SOLVE THE REAL PROBLEM

• SECRET 4: OFFER A GUARANTEE

• SECRET 5: FIRE 20 PERCENT OF YOUR CLIENTS

• SECRET 6: BE A GOOD GUEST

• SECRET 7: DELIVER STUNNING RESULTS—YOUR MOST POTENT MARKETING WEAPON

• SECRET 8: CLIENTS BUY—THEY ARE NOT “SOLD”

• SECRET 9: TOSS YOUR BROCHURES OUT THE WINDOW

• SECRET 10: PUT CLIENTS SECOND

• SECRET 11: CLIENT LOYALTY IS AN OXYMORON

• SECRET 12: FLOAT TO THE TOP

• SECRET 13: MARKETING HAS NO ON/OFF SWITCH

Chapter 4 - Anatomy of a Marketing Plan

• WHY YOU NEED A MARKETING PLAN

• WHAT IS A MARKETING PLAN?

• WITH NO DESTINATION, ANY ROAD WILL DO

• CHOOSING YOUR GOALS

• WHO ARE THEY GOING TO CALL?

• STANDING OUT IN A CROWD

• EIGHT DIFFERENTIATORS THAT DON’T WORK

• NINE DIFFERENTIATORS THAT DO WORK

• WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?

• HITTING YOUR TARGETS

• HOW TO COMPLETE A MARKETING PLAN

• IT’S ALL RELATIVE

Chapter 5 - The Guerrilla’s Marketing Road Map

• WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD

• A WINNING ROAD MAP

• THE DEATH OF THE LOGO?

• FINDING ON-RAMPS

• ROAD MAP UNDER CONSTRUCTION

• SPINNAKER CONSULTING

• FAIRPAY CONSULTANTS

• YOU MAKE THE CALL

• REVISING YOUR ROAD MAP

• PUT YOUR MARKETING ON THE MAP

Part II - Guerrilla Marketing at Work

Chapter 6 - Beyond Web Sites

• SO WHAT’S WRONG?

• WHY YOU NEED A GREAT WEB SITE

• TEN CHARACTERISTICS OF A KILLER WEB SITE

• THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

• THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

• SOLUTIONS AND RESULTS

• CASE STUDIES AND TESTIMONIALS

• HOW YOU WORK WITH CLIENTS

• WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

• ALLIANCES AND AFFILIATIONS

• MEDIA CENTER

• RESOURCE LIBRARY

• TERMS OF USE

• BUILDING YOUR WEB SITE

Chapter 7 - Boost Your Web Presence with a Zine

• TO ZINE OR NOT TO ZINE

• THE UPSIDE OF ZINES

• ARE YOU UP TO THE ZINE CHALLENGE?

• STEP UP TO THE PLATE

• CREATE TRUST

• DELIVER VALUE

• STIMULATE DIALOGUE WITH READERS

• EXUDE PROFESSIONALISM

• HIT YOUR TARGET MARKETS

• CREATE A REALISTIC BUDGET

• MEASURE SUCCESS

Chapter 8 - Talking Heads

• ASK WHAT PUBLICITY CAN DO FOR YOU

• ARE CONSULTANTS IDEAL MEDIA DARLINGS?

• CONSIDER THE TRADE-OFFS

• THE COST OF FREE PUBLICITY

• USE PUBLICITY EFFECTIVELY

• MANAGE YOUR MEDIA EXPOSURE

• WHEN TO AVOID PUBLICITY

• CONSIDER PROFESSIONAL HELP

• ARE WE THERE YET?

Chapter 9 - When It Pays to Advertise

• GUERRILLA ADVERTISING

• GOING POSTAL: DIRECT MAIL

• READ ALL ABOUT IT: NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINES

• TELEVISION AND RADIO

• TRADE SHOWS AND CONVENTIONS

• PRINTED BROCHURES GATHER MOLD

• PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORIES

• START YOUR SEARCH ENGINES

• PAY PER CLICK (PPC)

• ONLINE MAGAZINES

• LINK STRATEGIES

Chapter 10 - Write This Way

• WHY PUBLISH?

• A PUBLISHING STRATEGY

• PUTTING FINGERS TO KEYBOARD

• THE WRITING PROCESS

• MARKETING WHILE WRITING

• SELLING WHILE YOU SLEEP

• THAT’S THE IDEA

Chapter 11 - Five Steps to a Winning Speech

• TRAINING AND PRACTICE

• A SPEECH IS NOT A SPEECH

Chapter 12 - Book Publishing

• THE POWER OF THE PEN

• SHOULD YOU WRITE A BOOK?

• TAKING THE LEAP

• HAVE YOUR AGENT CALL MY AGENT

• YOUR PUBLISHING DECISIONS

• PROMOTION

• THE GUERRILLA CONSULTANT’S RULES FOR PROMOTING A BOOK

• TWENTY-FIVE WAYS TO BUILD YOUR CONSULTING BUSINESS WITH YOUR BOOK

• PUBLISHING REALITIES

Chapter 13 - Survey Said!

• WHY CONSULTANTS SHOULD CONDUCT SURVEYS

• PROCEED WITH CAUTION

• SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF A GREAT SURVEY TOPIC

• TAKING THE PLUNGE

• STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL SURVEY

• GETTING THE SURVEY TO THE MARKET

Chapter 14 - The Power of Giving Back

• BENEFITS TO CONSULTANTS

• SEVEN SKILLS YOU BUILD

• CHOOSING OPPORTUNITIES

• PRO BONO RULES

Part III - Guerrilla Selling for Consultants

Chapter 15 - All Projects Are Not Created Equal

• THE CLIENT QUALIFICATION SEQUENCE

• STEP 1: PREQUALIFY EVERY LEAD

• STEP 2: DISCOVERY—THE REST OF THE STORY

• STEP 3: DECISION TIME

Chapter 16 - “Send Me a Proposal”

• THE REALITIES OF PROPOSAL WRITING

• THE IDEAL PROPOSAL

• WORDS TO AVOID IN PROPOSALS

• THREE AILMENTS THAT CAN INFECT YOUR PROPOSAL

• CONSULTING ISN’T ROCKET SCIENCE

• BEFORE YOU BEGIN WRITING

• WHAT EVERY PROPOSAL MUST INCLUDE

• TWELVE TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL

Chapter 17 - The Price Is Right

• THE COST OF A BAD PRICING DECISION

• THREE DILEMMAS OF PRICING SERVICES

• GUERRILLA PRICING

• SO MANY PRICES

• THE SPIRIT OF FAIR PLAY

Chapter 18 - The Guerrilla’s Competitive Edge

• WHAT SELLING PROGRAMS WON’T TEACH YOU

• FINAL THOUGHTS

Chapter 19 - After the Sale

• THE SMALLEST TARGET IS THE BIGGEST

• CLIENT-LEVEL MARKETING

• THE SEVEN RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Part IV - Pulling It All Together

Chapter 20 - Put Your Plan into Action

• IT IS PERSONAL

• ALL DETAILS ARE MAJOR

• PROMPTLY FOLLOW UP ON EVERY COMMITMENT

• KNOW YOUR CLIENTS WELL

• KEEP CLIENTS IN THE LOOP

• BE FAIR

• INVEST IN YOURSELF

• BE CREATIVE AND PROVOCATIVE

• KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS OPEN

• TRUST YOUR DECISIONS

• PUTTING YOUR PLAN INTO ACTION

• MAKING MARKETING WORK

Notes

Resource Guide

About the Authors

Index

Copyright © 2005 by Jay Conrad Levinson and Michael W. McLaughlin.

All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Levinson, Jay Conrad.

Guerrilla marketing for consultants : breakthrough tactics for winning profitable clients / Jay Conrad Levinson and Michael W. McLaughlin. p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-471-61873-X (pbk.)

1. Marketing. 2. Consultants—Marketing. 3. Professions—Marketing. 4. Business consultants. I. McLaughlin, Michael W., 1955- II. Title.

HF5415.L4762 2004

001’.068’8—dc22

2004042253

For Sally The road continues . . .

Acknowledgments

There’s pure joy in thanking those who helped bring this book to life. None of this would have been possible if my good friend, colleague and confidante, Marty Rosenthal, hadn’t taken a chance and hired me as a consultant.

Over the past 20 years, my partner at Deloitte, Mike Deverell, taught me the art and craft of consulting and showed me how integrity, professionalism, and value draw clients to a consulting practice.

I’ve been fortunate to work alongside some of the finest consultants in the profession. A very special thanks to Tom Dekar, John Demetra, Peter Gertler, Erik Gilberg, Greg Seal, Phil Strause, and Jack Witlin. Hundreds of others at Deloitte also shaped my thinking about this book. I wish I could thank each of you personally for your generosity and collegiality, but you know who you are.

Most of all I learned from clients. They always let you know when things are right and when they’re not.

From our first conversation, my co-author, Jay Levinson, provided the glue that holds this book together. From the roughest proposal outline to the completed manuscript, Jay steered the project with his experience and keen intellect. No problem was too big or small for Jay’s attention. All I had to do was ask and Jay was there to lend a hand.

It was a rare treat to work with my agents, Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada. They knew exactly when to apply the right pressure to keep the project moving, and they never gave up on the idea. Without their guidance, this book would still be a pile of notes.

The team at John Wiley & Sons made the editing and production of the book seem like magic. My editor, Mike Hamilton, was there to answer every question, solve any problem, and keep the book on the right track. Deborah Schindlar, my Wiley production editor who worked with Pam Blackmon and her team at Publications Development Company; Kimberly Vaughn; and Michelle Becker brought the book from rough manuscript to the bookshelves, and I owe each of you a debt of gratitude.

Mark Steisel, my friend and colleague, contributed his blood, sweat, and tears to this book. Mark has a feel for the language that most of us simply dream about. His perseverance, editorial touch, and inspiration helped bring this book to a whole new level.

Every author has a secret weapon—that one person who is there to do whatever is needed, no matter what. My generous sister-in-law, Mary Dillon, is my secret weapon. Thank you, Mary, for tending to just about everything when writing and editing took over my life.

To my wife, Sally, you stuck by me when the going got the toughest. You gave selflessly of your days, nights, and weekends editing and reediting every last chapter of this book. I have no words to describe what your devotion has meant to me. You are in my mind and heart at all times. This book is for you.

M.W.M.

The Guerrilla Marketing brand has grown in 20 years from a single book to a library of books available around the world. One of the main reasons for that success is authors such as Michael W. McLaughlin who bring the spirit, the wisdom, and the practicality of Guerrilla Marketing to vibrant life.

I want to acknowledge Mike’s painstaking work and superb writing. It is not easy to write a Guerrilla Marketing book. But he has done it with grace and aplomb.

I also single out for gratitude some of the same people that Mike has identified-Mark Steisel, writer and editor extraordinaire, and Mike Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada, the shepherds of the brand-who have been my literary agents since the first book-and will be my agents for many more books.

Finally, I thank Jeannie Huffman, president of Guerrilla Marketing International, who has built the brand, as people like Michael and I have crafted the words.

J.C.L.

Introduction

Are you a consultant? That title applies to professionals from actuarial advisors to Web site designers, including management consultants, accountants, architects, investment counselors, lawyers, public relations consultants, engineers, human resources experts, executive coaches, professional speakers, technology consultants, internal consultants, and others.

All consultants are different and each specialty requires unique skills. One of those skills, though it may not say so on your business card, is marketing. If you’re not a top-notch marketer, expect an uphill road all the way. And don’t expect that road to lead to the bank.

Professional service providers need powerful marketing now more than ever. You may be a brilliant advisor or strategist, but in our highly competitive world you must convince clients that your services are head and shoulders above the competition if you want to stay in business.

This book was written from the perspective of a management consultant—coauthor, Michael McLaughlin. But the message of guerrilla marketing is equally relevant for all professional service providers.

Whatever consulting you do, guerrilla marketing can separate your practice from the pack. That’s not to say that classical marketing principles have no validity. But they are not a potent enough response to the rapidly changing demands of today’s clients.

Guerrilla marketing strategy and tactics will take you to the next level, where profits flow abundantly. Guerrillas use their time, energy, creativity, and knowledge to maximize the return on their marketing dollars. This book isn’t about good marketing. It’s about great marketing and long-term success—an investment in your future.

Think of Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants as an owner’s manual for your career and your practice. In these pages, there is a wealth of information on why, where, when, and how to push your consulting practice to new performance levels.

The guidelines in this book are prescriptive but flexible. Work through them on a step-by-step basis to create a guerrilla marketing program that fits your objectives, markets, budget, and skills. You can find strategies and tools for handling every aspect of marketing a consulting practice—from building market visibility to creating winning proposals and pricing your services.

We also include unbeatable guerrilla strategies for selling your services and creating profitable client relationships once you’ve been hired. Those relationships are keys to building a sustainable and profitable business.

If you want to review recent practices in just one area of marketing, you can simply flip to that chapter. Whichever way you use this book, you have access to the latest intelligence for creating a profitable guerrilla consulting practice.

If you are a consulting client or are thinking about becoming one, this book offers you many insights on how consultants work with clients. You might want to focus on the chapters about projects, proposals, and pricing. These and the other chapters can help you identify the traits you should look for in a consultant.

We look forward to seeing you in the trenches—and at the bank.

PartI

Marketing for Consultants the Guerrilla Way

Chapter 1

Why Consultants Need Guerrilla Marketing

New business will be won only to the extent that the client believes that the professional is interested, cares, and is trying to help.

—DAVID H. MAISTER1

For decades, consulting seemed like a dream job. The promise of challenging, satisfying work and great compensation attracted legions of smart, talented people to the profession. And consulting grew into a global industry that is forecasted to be a $159-billion-a-year market by 2005.2

Businesses—inundated by successive waves of new technologies, market shifts, and bold ideas—clamored for independent experts who could help them implement complex strategies to keep up with changes and embark on new ventures. The ranks of consultants swelled, and consulting firms racked up record-setting profits on high fees. Consulting became a serious business with a focus on making big money.

A more recent sign of the times, however, is apparent in the title of a seminar offered by the Institute of Management Consultants: “Management Consulting: Dream Job or Worst Nightmare?” Why might consulting be a nightmare?

Maybe it’s because of several developments that have turned the industry on its ear. They include:

• Sluggish growth rates for many consulting firms, declining fees, the unpredictable economy, and the cyclical nature of consulting

• A market saturated with experts and fierce competition, which has led to aggressive selling wars over even the smallest projects

• Widespread corporate scandals, consulting firm mergers, practice dissolutions, and trends like outsourcing that have clients scratching their heads about who does what and which consultants are trustworthy