The 4 Best Digital Marketing Platforms for a Consulting Business

It’s easy to drown in the different forms of digital marketing out there if you’re running a consulting business. Because time is precious, particularly if you work as a consult, juggling every aspect of your business, you need to focus on doing what’s imperative – not just helpful.

To help keep things simple but effective, here are the content marketing platforms I think you need to include in 2013 as part of your strategic online marketing plan.

1. Blog.

Do not ignore the power of a blog. They help get you found in Google and other search engines, generate leads and give prospects an insight to your core skills. What’s more, a blog is full of personality. If you write in a tone of voice that reflects just who you are instead of “corporate speak” you’ll show customers a personal side of who you are. This is important because we do business with people, not businesses.

Get a blog right and it will bring new customers to your door. If you’re thinking of starting a business blog or have let yours go on hiatus too long, check out this post on what makes a great business blog.
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Is your business embracing video? (Podcast 15)

In this episode of the Online Marketing and Communications podcast I talk to Sharon Cain, MD of British PR agency Quest PR.

Sharon Cain

A former BBC and Sky TV journalist, Sharon has put Quest firmly on the map, establishing the company as one of the leading PR companies in the north of England.

Together with her team, based both in Harrogate and Leads, Quest PR are helping businesses in the region get to grips with new media.

Getting Started with B2B Vlogging

I asked Sharon about how businesses should go about getting started with video, as well as the benefits of attending a training course.

We also talked about how to warm up for a recording session and what role video and vlogging has to play in integrated PR, online marketing and communications as we go forward in 2011.
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Has Your Business Blog Lost its Mojo?

Tired? Feeling fed up with business blogging?


The recent talk in the blogosphere of business blogs losing their mojo doesn’t surprise me. After all, what with Planet Facebook seemingly conquering everything in its way, and Twitter getting a lot of mainstream media attention, it’s only natural blogs would lose some of their shine.

If you’re a business blogger bashing out stories on a daily basis for your company, or a small business blogger trying to grow your business with online content marketing, you’d be forgiven for developing a hefty dose of bloggers block in response to all the bad vibes that seem to be out there right now.

After all, there’s nothing like having your confidence knocked when the likes of Joel Spolsky point out that “Most company blogs have almost no readers, no traffic, and no impact on sales.”

But if you’re struggling with bloggers block, or not getting the results you want:

  • don’t just bury your head in your hands or give up posting.
  • don’t fall into a downward spiral of negative thinking.
  • get out there and look around the business blogosphere and see what other people are doing.

There’s plenty to inspire you!

If you’re stuck writing, try vlogging for a change. Or why not put a presentation up on SlideShare? Take some photos, talk to people, keep a notebook full of ideas to draw on. Get creative!

Online content marketing isn’t a sprint race. It’s a long distance journey and you have to be in it for the long haul. That means committing to producing quality content over time.

The bottom line is you need to develop you online presence with relevant content that speaks to your ideal customer in a way that understands the problems they face and the solutions they seek. Worry about that. Not what the others are saying!

Happy business blogging!