When done correctly, digital marketing is a powerful tool that can help your professional services firm to cut through the noise and get the results you have always strived for – the emphasis, of course, is on the ‘if done correctly’. Far too often, firms will dive in at the deep end, foregoing any real strategy or plan; this is where frustrations begin to arise as both time and money become wasted.
Now, you are probably wondering: “What is the key to a successful digital marketing strategy?” And the clue is in the question; it is the very strategy itself. To achieve effective results, you must have a clear journey mapped out; one that keeps you on the path to success and provides guidance to help you overcome any bumps in the road. Of course, a lot of work goes into creating a successful strategy. And we’re not going to pretend there’s a quick fix, but what we are going to do is provide you with helpful tips to guide you through your journey and get you headed in the right direction.
1. Identify your niche
As a professional services firm, it can be all too easy to fall into the trap of trying to appeal to the masses – but unless you have a lot (and we mean a lot) of money to invest, this simply will not work. You are far better off defining a target niche and establishing yourself as an expert within that space; this will give you a competitive edge and increase your authority as you will become the ‘go to’ for that niche.
2. Master your website
Your website is often the first port of call for your prospective clients, so it must make the right first impression. And with the pandemic forcing more consumers and businesses to embrace digital, nailing your site is more crucial than ever. So, what makes a good website? Well, several elements must be considered, including:
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- Mobile responsiveness
- Informative, relevant content
- Clear navigation
- Professional, engaging design
- Powerful calls to action
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But what’s the purpose of having a great website if no one is going to see it? If you want your website to get noticed by the right people, at the right time, you need to develop an SEO strategy. To be successful, your SEO strategy must consider on-page, off-page and technical elements (all of which you can learn more about here in our ultimate guide to SEO) and most importantly, focus on impressing the end-user as opposed to the search engines.
3. Be more social
Traditionally, social media has been labelled as a B2C channel, one which favours fitness fanatics and makeup gurus – but times have changed, and social media is now just as valuable for B2B business as their B2C counterparts.
Of course, the priority for most professional services firms is LinkedIn – and it’s no surprise. Dubbed the Facebook of the business world, LinkedIn is home to millions of driven professionals hungry for their next business opportunity, making it the perfect place to network, build relationships and generate new leads. And with 79% of B2B marketers agreeing that Linkedin is an effective source of B2B leads, the latter is certainly true.
4. Show, don’t tell
If you really want to sell your professional services firm to your target audience, then you need to show them exactly what you can offer. It’s easy enough to list off the benefits of working with your firm – which is why everyone does it – however, the real value comes from proving your worth. For clients to want to work with you, you need to add some credibility to your claims; this is where your current clients come in.
One of the most effective ways to show prospective clients that your firm can provide value to them is through case studies and customer testimonials. This not only demonstrates your expertise but also shows it in a way that your target audience can relate – the key here is relevance. If you prove you have benefitted another client just like them, they are far more likely to envision themselves working with you and trust your capabilities.
5. Create captivating content
Today’s consumers want to do more than simply make a purchase; they want to be immersed in an enjoyable (and informative) buying experience, one that shows you value them just as much as their money. If you want to build meaningful relationships and increase customer loyalty, you need to go above and beyond expectations. This is where content marketing comes in.
Not only is high-quality content a great way to offer value to your audience, but it’s also a fantastic way to showcase your expertise and build credibility for your firm. Oh, and of course it’s great for SEO, too. When it comes to creating your content, think: bigger is better.
If you want to differentiate your firm, you need to offer your audience something beyond the usual. By all means, create a blog, but add something more, too; perhaps a podcast or a video interview series with industry thought leaders, or maybe you feel more comfortable publishing a whitepaper or hosting a webinar. No matter what you do, it should be relevant and valuable to your audience (first and foremost) but also tie back to your firm and your offerings in some way. Ultimately, it should put you a step closer to achieving your goals.
With increased competition being named the biggest struggle by firms within the professional services industry, now is the time to level up your digital marketing and get your business noticed. If you are looking for help creating a showstopping digital marketing strategy, contact us today for a free consultation, or head over to our professional services page to find out more about the value we can bring to your firm.
