By Ken Lizotte, CMC

Throughout much of the past year, for many consultants most any kind of marketing/selling strategy worked pretty well. But when boom times disappeared, so did more automatic forms of business development. Explains research specialist Michael Norris, President, Norris Research (Rindge NH), "The general stumbling of many ‘high fliers’ has been due to marketing, or lack thereof. Until recently, it seemed as if answering the phone was their entire marketing strategy." For such reasons, some firms have latched onto an underutilized technique for separating themselves from the pack: writing and publishing articles.

Why adopt this strategy? For one thing, it’s far less expensive than even a modest direct mail campaign, and second, writing and publishing earns one double benefits by at once promoting one’s services and educating target markets all in one feel swoop. Thus publishing articles transforms consulting firms and their practitioners converts into "thought leaders," i.e., better-known experts in their particular field. This means core values and unique selling points can be articulated clearly, confidently, persuasively.

How does one get started? First, obtaining a "go-ahead" from an editor is far more effective then writing an entire article and then shipping it out to a publication unsolicited. By locating an editor who would be sincerely interested in your piece before actually writing it, you stand to gain feedback around angle, length, and deadline which help you craft the article just the way someone (your new editor) would want to see it. Obviously chances of acceptance shoot upward significantly when criteria for success can be specified and followed.

To insure that your article will work for you as well as for your editor, you’ll also want to know (a) specific business objectives you want to advance, and (2) publications read by your target customers. A manufacturer of data storage systems, for example, wanted its insurance firm prospects to know how much more productive its recently-developed data mining system could make them. So its VP Sales wrote an article called "Storage Must be Flexible" after securing interest from an editor of a major insurance journal.

And how does one go about obtaining such interest, you ask? For consultants, the answer is all too familiar: email or cold-call an editor as you would a prospect, pitch your article idea within the first 25 words, then await a response. You’ll probably end up chatting with the editor about your proposed article and hearing her ask, "So when could you get it to me?" Or receiving an email to that effect.

The truth is that securing an article assignment is a straightforward proposition and that most editors are waiting to hear from you! They are always in need of new ideas and welcome calls from consultants who may have them. As you experience this, you will gradually become proficient at this remarkable (if remarkably little-used) marketing channel. In fact, expect some prospective clients to actually begin recognizing your name, and lighting up when they realized they have been reading your articles. "I’ve learned a lot from them," they will tell you. "I’ve really enjoyed them" Then, sweet words will follow: "Now please tell me more about your consulting services. I’m all ears."

Ken Lizotte CMC is President of the New England chapter and Chief Imaginative Officer (CIO) of emerson consulting group inc. (Concord MA), which helps consultants and their firms get article and book ideas published. Phone: 978-371-0442.
Email:
Website: www.thoughtleading.com

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