Professional Services Marketing Wisdom How to Attract, Influence and Acquire Customers Even If You Hate Selling

If you own and operate your own professional services firm?in accounting, finance, law, or another field?you know just how important marketing is to the success of your business. If you can't get your name out there, you won't have any customers to call your own. This handy guide offers a comprehensive plan for attracting and acquiring clients for small and even one-person firms?no marketing degree required. The strategies and tactics here are fun, easy-to-understand, and doable right now. All you need to bring is enthusiasm and commitment. You'll learn how to identify potential clients, explain why you're their best choice, grow your market share, get great referrals, designate which clients are long-term, profitable keepers, and much more.

• Features easy-to-implement marketing tactics and strategies for small professional services firms in any industry
• Ideal for anyone who runs a small firm, as well as professionals in larger firms who want to climb the ladder
• Shows readers with no marketing background how to boost their businesses
• Negates the need for expensive and often ineffective external marketing or sales consultants or branding and public relations firms

For anyone who runs their own firm, Professional Services Marketing Wisdom offers unbeatable guidance on attracting and keeping the clients that small firms need to survive and thrive.

About the author ix

Acknowledgements xi

Introduction xiii

1 Identify the clients you want and deserve 1

2 Why you’re the best choice for your market niche 21

3 Establish thought leadership and attract true buyers 43

4 You’re in the relationship business 63

5 Establish great acquisition sources and dominate your market 79

6 Develop market share without spending a fortune 105

7 Ensure repeat business, recommendations and referrals 131

8 Communication, influence, persuasion: customer centricity 155

9 Rules for results in relationships and proposals 173

10 Selective acquisition: choose the keepers and release the others 189

11 The internet, technology and social media 211

Appendix: Tools and resources 227

Special thanks 235

Index 237

RIC WILLMOT is an expert in productivity and performance with extensive experience in accounting, financial planning and organisational development consulting. Ric heads a successful consulting firm working with major international corporations, which he built from zero in 2004 to seven figures by 2012, using the techniques and strategies described in this book — without paying for any advertising or employing any sales or marketing staff.