Marketing a Consulting Business during the Holidays

Not every business sells something.  Some businesses, like mine, are a consultancy.  We too want to capitalize on the holiday spirit, but how do we?  The following are some of the best tips to market your consulting business during the busy holiday season.

Increase awareness – A consulting business thrives on constant attention but during the holidays, traders grab the lion share of the customer’s attention.  It is therefore up to the consultant to show the client that they do need our services.  Consulting businesses may increase business awareness by using the some of the usual methods such as; email marketing, cold calls and networking.  A short email to inform the potential client what services you offer, whether its décor, marketing or accounting services is always useful; to attract new clients, cold calling companies or emailing marketing information outlining the value in your offering is also a good option.  Networking, one of the most critical parts of a consulting business should not be neglected.  This activity puts you in direct contact with both current and potential customers.

Form new/additional partnerships – Networking can help a consultant to identify other consultants whose services complements the other.  A partnership between consultants can benefit both businesses.  For example, Event Planners and Decorators/Designers have a unique opportunity to join alliances, especially for the many events during the Christmas holidays.

Referrals – Don’t be afraid to ask clients for referrals.  If you have a website, encourage them to go online and say something nice about your services.  Also, if your business involves providing business training, always get (written) feedback from workshop attendees. This can provide additional information for your future marketing campaigns.

Get involved in the community – If you can, volunteer a service or two during the holiday to help a charitable organization.  Your business’s involvement in the affairs of the community shows that you are not just ‘all about the Benjamin’s’ but that you are concerned about societal happenings.  Volunteering also builds up goodwill for your business.