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from the Pack, Write and Publish Articles!
By Patricia Coate
During boom years, most any kind of marketing/selling strategy works well for consultants. But when boom times slack off, so do many of the 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!”
When the phone stops ringing, many firms start using an underutilized technique for separating themselves from the pack: writing and publishing articles.
Publishing articles transforms consultants and consulting firms into “thoughtleaders,” i.e., better-known experts in their particular field. It also separates them from their competition since it conveys a third party endorsement--that of the reputable publication--that most others in the field will NOT possess.
Why adopt this strategy? For one thing, it’s far less expensive than even a modest direct mail campaign. What’s more, writing and publishing articles earns one double benefits in one fell swoop -- by promoting one’s services and building one’s credibility and brand at the same time. Core values and unique selling points can be articulated clearly, confidently and persuasively. Thirdly, many editors of publications that accept bylined articles are frequently in need of new ideas from thoughtleading consultants so there is good demand in the publishing world for great articles and book ideas.
Finally, writing bylined articles is a better “first step” on your way to publicity and fame than waiting for journalists and editors to call you for an interview.
To ensure that your article will work for you as much as for the publication’s editor, you’ll want to be sure, in your own mind, (a) the specific business objectives you want to advance, and (b) publications you want to appear in, specifically those periodicals that your target customers read. One client of ours, a manufacturer of data storage systems, for example, had wanted its insurance firm prospects to know how much more productive its recently developed data-mining system could make them. The VP of Sales, therefore, wrote an article entitled “Storage Must Be Flexible” after first securing interest from the editor of a major insurance journal.
How does one get started? First, obtain a “go-ahead” from an editor for your preferred article topic rather than actually writing an article and trying to “sell it” to an editor. This may sound counterintuitive, but by locating an editor first who would be interested in publishing your article—or book—you can write your piece to meet the specific needs and interest of the editor in terms of article angle, style and length.
How does one obtain such interest from an editor? Step one is to research the names of publications in your industry and to ask your clients what they read. The next step is to email 10-20 editors of these publications with your “pitch” -- a 25-to-50-word blurb explaining your topic idea and why their audience would want to read such an article.
If all goes well, in a short period of time, you may end up with an email response from one of these editors, asking, “When could you get this to me? It sounds perfect for our readers.” More than likely, however, it will require some follow-up contact with the editors via phone and emails to secure a placement. But with the right, on-target idea and the right amount of persistence, you will inevitably find a publisher for your article or book.
As you gain experience with this process and become a successful published author, you‘ll be able to use your bylined articles and book chapters as part of your marketing material. And, you will effectively differentiate yourself in your specialty. Clients and potential clients will begin seeing your name in print and will start giving you positive feedback, saying that they’ve been reading your articles. “I’ve learned a lot from them,” they will tell you. “I’ve really enjoyed them.” Then, you can expect to hear the following words, “Now please tell me more about your consulting services and how you can help my business.”
Patricia Coate is West Coast Manager of emerson consulting group inc. which helps consultants and their firms get article and book ideas published.