There is no doubt that the digital revolution has changed the face of most aspects of business. But perhaps as a discipline, it is marketing that has really altered beyond recognition. Many of the traditional methods have been largely abandoned in favor of modern digital marketing strategies that, in some respects, turn conventional marketing on its head.
Gone are the days of mailshots and cold calling, today it is all about SEO, conversion rates, data analytics and cultivating warm leads.
The whole discipline of digital marketing is something that has grown a life of its own, and evolved at a remarkable pace. Today’s top digital marketers are, by necessity, resourceful, adaptive, flexible and blessed with plenty of that pioneering spirit.
Bearing that in mind, perhaps it should come as no surprise that so many digital marketers choose to set up their own consultancies. It gives them the freedom to develop in their own way without constraints. Barriers to entry are low, and set up costs for a remote-working or home-based consultant are practically zero.
Of course, the downside is that this makes a recipe for a hugely crowded marketplace. You have probably heard the oft-quoted statistic that more than 80 percent of new businesses fail in the first 18 months. How can you give your consultancy the best chance of being in the minority of survivors?
1. Be a credible authority
As a digital marketer, you know the importance from an SEO perspective of being an authority in your industry. This concept has wider implications, though, and with such a wide range of choices, there will always be a mixture of professionals and charlatans.
Make sure potential customers know which category you fall into by teaming up with organizations such as Probrand. As a trusted source of equipment and service providers, they will only recommend professionals.
2. Be your own best customer
Remember the proverb about the cobbler’s children being the worst shod, and make sure you work your digital marketing magic on your own business. Leverage your online presence and social media channels to improve your website’s SEO and build a professional network of your own.
You will spend plenty of time helping people to create the best possible online shopfront to promote their business in the best possible way – better make sure your own is up to the mark!
3. Be selective
A common mistake among consultants who are setting up on their own is to accept any and every job that comes their way under the false logic that they “cannot afford to turn business away.”
Take a step back and look at your strategy. If your neighbor offered you some ongoing work mowing his lawn twice a week, then you would politely decline, as that is not what you do—take the same objective approach to every project. Ask yourself whether it is truly a digital marketing assignment or just someone who wants you to cut his grass, and you will not go wrong.
Author: David Foster is a professional blogger who writes for Washington Injury lawyers. He helps business owners understand the legal issues of running a business smoothly.
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