So, you finally bit the bullet and resigned your appointment with your employer after years of meritorious service, to start your own consultancy? And you did it while the ovation is still loudest? Good for you! Most people rarely get rich working for others. No matter what service you want to offer, the web can boost your expert status so people feel more confident hiring you.

I propose the following:

1. Setup a proper website in your name using a Content Management System (Joomla or WordPress) – that will make it easy for you to manage the site yourself (just like you use MS Word or Facebook). See an example I did for a Cameroonian client (a Legal Consultant) in Cotonou: www.nanaarnold.com

This means you will purchase a domain name – e.g. www.yourname.com (long overdue!!) – for $10 approx – for ONE year.

And you would also purchase a hosting account – from $40 approx – for ONE year.

2. Once the site is up, you must use it to get people to take action to contact you. That requires writing new content regularly, and using preferably zero cost channels to promote it. That’s where the work will be.

My method is to use writing to attract visits via the search engines. So, I recommend you have a blog where you’ll publish your new articles and other reports. The purpose will be to establish yourself as an authority in your field or interest or expertise.

As your “content” volume increases, those who encounter it online, who fit your target audience profile, will be won over by it.

They will come ready to engage you. My blog has been central to my webmarketing success:

http://spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets/

Like mine, everything you do on your blog will be automatically linked to your Facebook outlet and your website. See my Excel-VB Solutions page www.tinyurl.com/tksexcelheaven. It has 95% membership from overseas. They talk about my works in their network i.e. free promotion! No wonder I’m getting more foreign enquirers about my Excel-VB driven farm business software.

You will also need to setup a promotional email newsletter which you will publish regularly, to  subscribers. It will boost your expert status.

Note that this approach will SAVE you a lot of marketing expense, and eventually boost your generation of quality sales leads.

It does not yield success over night. BUT it always works! You just need to persist.

If you could have served as long and successfully as you did with an employer before quitting, I believe you will be able to generate the QUALITY of content that will make people who need your services see you as a preferred provider.

Over time, they will seek you out by themselves. You will have less need to reach out to potential clients. But even when you do go out, this system will bean instrument you will use to win clients over with less effort, in less time and at less cost.

I call it the Development of a Web Marketing System.

TOTAL INVESTMENT REQUIRED (If I do it for you):

1. Domain Registration (1 year) and Website Hosting (1 year) – N7,500.00

2. Setting up your Web Marketing System (comprising your website, your blog and your promotional Facebook page) – N100, 000.00

IT WILL PAY FOR ITSELF

This approach will save you lots of business promotion expenses, and also help you win MORE paying clients. As an expert in your field of specialisation, you can also approach international organisations to write papers or even speak at conferences (for a fee too!).

An updated/quality content, online presence will make those you contact choose you over your rivals!