| The IT consulting industry can be categorized on | | | | 4)Referrals provides you with the highest-quality |
| basis of their operation as a three-tier system: | | | | clients and engagements. |
| 1)Professional services firms which maintain large | | | | B]Confidence is an important factor.Even if you are |
| professional workforces and command high bill rates. | | | | new to the field of consultancies try remaining |
| These firms either source their employees from | | | | confident in front of your client.A hint of insecurity |
| low-cost nations or out sourcing their work to low | | | | could actually spoil the entire ambiance or the |
| cost countries.The reason here is the economy of | | | | meeting.Your business falls flat on it's face.Rather if |
| the nation that holds strong.Such that instead of | | | | you are confident you take your client in to |
| affording one national from that particular country if | | | | confidence and convince him of your ideas being |
| the job is outsourced to a country of weaker | | | | surely successful there lies every chance of another |
| economy he affords another five in number for the | | | | referral and the word from mouth keeps increasing |
| same price via the economic exchange. | | | | about your business. |
| 2)Staffing firms, which place technologists in | | | | C]High Quality Clients and Engagements:The nature of |
| businesses on a temporary basis.They are small firms | | | | engagements that comes to the firm through |
| but exploit global cost differences by bringing guest | | | | referrals is likely to be high-value, serious, and |
| workers to their host country in terms of contracts | | | | high-margin.High-quality managements recognize the |
| or as bonded workers.They are also termed as body | | | | value of a good referral, as opposed to checking the |
| shops. | | | | Yellow Pages, or picking a consultant based upon a |
| 3)Independent consultants, who either A)function as | | | | speaking engagement or even a fad bestseller book. |
| contractors or B)employees of staffing firms or | | | | They ask people whose opinions they trust. The |
| C)subcontractors in their own right. | | | | result: the most interesting, rewarding clients are the |
| People in general do get confused trying to | | | | ones that come from referrals. |
| differentiate between an IT consultant and a genral | | | | D]Marketing Message:One must have a marketing |
| management consultant.An It consultant will always | | | | message to improve or increase the prospects of |
| score over his counterparts due to his knowledge in | | | | the firm.There should be a sales cycle through whom |
| a field of expertise.IT consultants often have | | | | you could bank your success upon.If you hope to |
| degrees in computer science, electronics, technology, | | | | generate referrals, be clear about the roles in the |
| or management of information systems while | | | | "sales cycle" at work here: you must "train" or "equip" |
| management consultants often have degrees in | | | | your clients to deliver the "marketing message" for |
| accounting, economics, Industrial Engineering, finance, | | | | you. The clients are your agents or |
| or a generalized MBA (Masters in Business | | | | "representatives."The first contact with a potential |
| Administration). | | | | client on your behalf is not in your hands, but you can |
| Now the main question of concern that rises is how | | | | shape the event depending on what tactics you |
| does a consultant or for the matter a consultancy | | | | implement.The Marketing message needn't be lengthy |
| firm improve its prospects and gathers quality | | | | or complex.The intention is to be referred with |
| clients.Following are some ways to boost up your | | | | enough interest that a potential client invites you in |
| credibility of your consultancy. | | | | for an exploratory interview, or even better, to |
| A] For an Independent Consultant, or a small group, | | | | discuss a specific engagement in the offering. |
| the growth is primarily through referrals or | | | | All in all executing the referral strategy toward the |
| recommendations.The referral is the most valuable of | | | | end of an engagement gives you the ideal |
| all business generators for four distinct reasons: | | | | opportunity to move ahead with your business |
| 1)The act of referring you to others indicates that | | | | successfully.Frankly speaking people who have |
| your firm or services are indeed valuable if not | | | | opened consultancies are earning money as if there |
| worthy. | | | | wasn't any yesterday or if there won't be any |
| 2)While meeting your new client you aren't complete | | | | tomorrow.Start out alone and the only time you |
| strangers rather a bit known to each other through | | | | might just find things to be a bit tough is to get a |
| the referrals and hence that initial uneasiness isn't | | | | major client initially.But if you are experienced,which |
| present. | | | | means that the consultancy isn't your first job ever |
| 3)Referrals and recommendations are the primary | | | | and if you have served under any reputed company |
| USP (Unique selling point) of your consultancy | | | | or organization,use that for a recommendation and |
| services,rather the best marketing strategy that you | | | | there would be no looking back. |
| could ever imply and that to free of cost. | | | | |