How often should you update your website?

For professional service firms, a well-designed and informative website is a powerful tool for establishing credibility, showcasing expertise and attracting clients. It is often the first point of contact for potential clients or the place someone who met you elsewhere goes to learn more about you. A website is more than a brochure; it is a virtual representation of your firm’s experience, values and capabilities. As a result, it is essential to maintain it properly and regularly update it so that it puts your firm in the best possible light. How often should you update your site? Here are a few guidelines: (more…)

6 ways to leverage LinkedIn to promote your niche

If you have a niche specialty, it’s important to flaunt it. You want people to know what you do and the benefits you offer so when an opportunity arises, you are the one they turn to for help. LinkedIn provides one of the best and most cost-effective tools to promote a niche. It helps you establish your expertise, build relationships with your network and reach new audiences. To make the most of LinkedIn, take these steps: (more…)

Can’t make time for marketing? 10 tips to get you started

Are you struggling to find the right balance between your responsibilities helping clients and running and marketing your business? There is no magic to finding time for marketing. You have to make the commitment and then prioritize and plan ruthlessly to make it happen. But, to help you get started, check out these tips: (more…)

How to promote your public speaking on LinkedIn

If you are planning an educational program, you want to get the most marketing value out of it. Public speaking is an excellent way to promote your expertise, stay top of mind with contacts and attract new prospects. However, simply doing a presentation won’t get you very far. Instead, you should take advantage of an array of marketing channels to help you reach the right people. One of the most cost-effective and successful of these is LinkedIn. Whether you are hosting your own seminar/webinar or speaking at an event organized by a third party, here are a few ways you can leverage LinkedIn: (more…)

What do you do? 9 mistakes you are making answering that question

“What do you do?” That’s the first question at every networking event. But it’s also the question implicitly asked when people look at your bio and social media pages. People are interested in what you do for a living but you can quickly lose them if you do a bad job explaining, give them a generic description, or make other mistakes in communicating your value. (more…)

A step-by-step guide to repurposing content

Sharing helpful content such as articles, blog posts and videos is one of the best ways for professionals to promote their expertise, reach potential clients and stay top of mind with existing contacts. However, regularly creating content is time-consuming and difficult. Repurposing everything you do can help alleviate some of that burden and it isn’t hard to do. To repurpose any piece of content, try the tactics detailed below. (more…)

How to get out of your marketing rut

Does this sound familiar? You haven’t significantly updated your website or social media profiles in years. You keep sponsoring the same events even though you don’t get any new leads from them. At networking events, you spend the bulk of your time with people you already know. You supposedly commit to writing more articles or doing more presentations but a year later nothing has changed. Your firm’s income is relatively stable but much of your new business is coming from existing referral sources, not fresh ones. (more…)

8 tips to help with your biggest networking challenges

Some people are naturally good networkers. They like to meet and get to know people and build strong relationships. Others find networking difficult and need help developing the right skills. One of the best ways to learn is by talking to others about how they address their biggest networking challenges. Recently, I led a discussion on Women and Networking for a local chamber of commerce. The group approached me about doing a program on how networking can be different and more challenging for women. We decided to do a group discussion so we could all share insights and tips with each other. (more…)

Do you sound just like your competitors?

It’s one of the biggest marketing challenges professionals face – how to distinguish themselves from competitors. How many ways can you say that you advocate for your client’s best interests or help them minimize liability, reduce taxes, increase revenue, be more efficient, etc.? What do you do that is really so different from other lawyers, accountants, financial advisors or others in your field? (more…)