When I started my tax consulting firm with my wife, I quickly realized the importance of learning how to grow a business. Through trial and error, I discovered five crucial lessons that helped me go from zero to 20 clients in just 12 months.
In this post, I’ll share those lessons with you and explain how they can help you grow your own solo consulting firm. So if you’re an aspiring consultant or a current business owner looking to expand, keep reading!
Here are five lessons that have been most important to me:
Don’t Start Without a Strong Brand Identity for Your Consulting Business
The first step to growing your consulting business is to create a strong brand identity.
I know, I know–you’re probably thinking, “But we’re not selling anything! What does this have to do with me?”
Well, humans are visual creatures who make judgments about people and businesses based on the first thing they see. If you don’t have a strong brand identity for your consulting business, then it won’t matter how good your services are or what value you bring; potential clients will just move on because of the way that you present yourself online (or off).
Read also: Effective Branding: Make a Killer First Impression to Win Your First 10 Clients
A strong brand identity helps you stand out from the crowd when people search for solutions in their area of expertise–and it can also build trust as well!
Ignoring SEO in Your First Year Can Actually Help You Grow Your Solo Consulting Business Faster
It can be tempting to try and do everything at once–but it’s important not to get bogged down by SEO in the first year of your consulting firm.
I know what you’re thinking. You want to get started right away and start building an online presence for your consulting business, but there’s a problem: SEO takes time and money.
If you don’t have any clients yet, why should you spend money on SEO? You need a better strategy to getting leads, today.
In fact, ignoring SEO in your first year of business could actually be beneficial for growing your consulting firm faster than if you had started doing it from day one (despite what some experts say).
Focus on what’s essential first to grow your consulting business faster.
Never Waste Money on Marketing Campaigns Until Your Website is Optimized for Success
If you’re like me, you have a lot of ideas for marketing campaigns and social media posts. I was always eager to share my content with the world–but I made one critical mistake: I spent money on paid ads before optimizing my website for success.
This meant that when people visited my site, they didn’t see anything that would convince them to hire me or sign up for one of my services.
This is a common mistake among entrepreneurs who don’t know what they’re doing yet (like me!). Don’t make this same mistake!
The first thing you should do when building out your website is optimize it so that visitors can easily find out how they can contact you, get in touch with other people at your company, and learn more about what makes working with you so special.
Learn more here: High-converting Websites: A Guide for B2B & Consulting Businesses
Small Project Deals Can Help You Build Momentum and Grow Your Consulting Business
Starting a consulting business can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to finding clients. But one of the best ways to build momentum and fuel motivation is by starting with small projects. These projects are easier to sell, complete, and deliver on time, which means you can get them done quickly and build a track record of success.
In the beginning stages of your consulting business, it’s important to not only find clients but also develop long-term relationships with them. By offering great value at a fair price, you can demonstrate your expertise and provide real solutions to your clients’ problems. This approach will lead to satisfied clients who are more likely to return to you for future projects and refer you to others.
Remember, even one successful small project can have a significant impact on your future growth efforts. So don’t underestimate the value of starting small and building momentum along the way.
Knowing Your Goals is Essential to Growing Your Solo Consulting Firm from Zero to Success
When you’re growing your solo consulting firm, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. For me, my ideal consulting business was something that would let me work from home and have more control over my schedule.
I also knew that I wanted to work with younger clients who were comfortable using remote tools and technology. This made it easier for me to communicate and collaborate with them, without having to deal with the constraints of in-person meetings.
Finally, I found that working with small businesses that needed an outsourced team was the perfect fit for my consulting style. It allowed me to have more freedom in choosing the projects I worked on, and I could focus on the ones that I knew would make the biggest impact for my clients.
So if you’re just starting out and trying to grow your consulting business, take some time to think about what your ideal business looks like. Don’t be afraid to focus on the clients that you enjoy working with the most, and build your business around those relationships. With a clear vision and some hard work, you can take your consulting firm from zero to success.
What’s Next?
At the end of the day, you have to do what works for you.
The key is to experiment with different things including marketing strategies and see what works best for your business.
You might find that one tactic doesn’t work as well as another, but don’t give up! Keep trying different things until something sticks–it will pay off in the long run when it comes time to grow your business.
Get Some Help to Grow Your Consulting Firm
Growing a consulting firm from zero to success is no easy feat, but by learning from the experiences of others, it becomes a more achievable goal.
In this blog post, I’ve shared five lessons I learned while growing my own consulting firm from 0 to 20 clients in 12 months.
As a brand and web designer who also running a tax consulting business, I understand the value of a strong brand and website, and I am here to help you achieve just that.
Let’s work together to build a successful consulting firm that stands out in a competitive market.
