To build out client base, focus on what you can offer

Q: As an independent consulting firm that has mainly consulted early stage technology innovation, I am looking to build out my client base to take a decade of experience to support startups and established organizations drive early stage projects. What are some strategies for building my exposure and credibility?

Julia Allen, owner

Atlas Veles

A: The first challenge in the case of "consultants" attempting to stitch together the many experiences from years of client work tends to fall within developing clarity in what you actually want to offer. No amount of exposure can grow your business if you haven't precisely defined and described what you do.

Talented consultants face the pitfall of having solved a wide range of problems, but often have difficulty articulating the strategy and value behind the tactics of the work. This also leads to focusing on the skills of the consultant (features) rather than the value to the client (benefit). Marketing 101 tells us that people don't buy features, they buy benefits.

So, taking some focused time to identify the specific needs you can meet for companies not only helps you define the value proposition, but should also help narrow your targeting of clients to those most likely to suffer pains you can heal. It is not enough to simply say you want "early stage technology" clients.

Once you have established sharp lines for the scope of your business offerings and best potential clients, it becomes time to create that strategy for exposure and brand building. The core strategy for any effort in this area should center on how, where and why decisionmakers at prospect companies engage with people, information and technology.

Developing a reputation and sales leads depends on you and getting messages about your business to the places where potential customers gather or direct their interests. These may not be obvious, so investing the time, energy and a little money in researching your key target audience becomes invaluable.

With a solid understanding of the opportunities to be seen and a clear, benefit-oriented message, you can begin to build a strategy for engaging customers successfully.

Mike Porter is the faculty director of the Master of Science in Health Care Communication program at the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business.