How to Join the League of the Best Digital Consultants
Are you ready to become one of the best digital consultants out there?
In recent years, more and more businesses have been relying on digital consulting because they are starting to realize that digitization is the future.
And given the current situation, going digital is sometimes the only way to stay in business.
This means that the demand for digital consultants might increase in the future.
So, in the article, we’ll discuss how to stand out from the rest and join the best.
1. Choose a Specific Digital Consulting Niche
Most of the time, the best digital consultants aren't referred to as ‘the best digital consultants’. Instead, you’ll hear things like, “He’s the best Facebook Ads consultant I know” or “She’s excellent with SEO”. Digital consulting is a broad term, so you should narrow down your professional title to whatever aligns with your skills.
Indeed, there are agencies who identify as digital consulting agencies. But as a freelance digital consultant, sticking to one particular niche, and maybe some related niches, is the best way to make a client’s decision to hire you easier.
For example, if an e-commerce brand needs help with Google Ads for their New Year sales, they might type “Google Ads Consultant” in the search bar, or ask for the profiles of the same if they choose to find a digital consultant through a digital experts platform. If your title is Google Ads Consultant, and not the generic ‘digital consultant’, your chances of getting found may increase substantially.
2. Understand the Value You’re Providing to Your Clients as a Digital Expert
The best digital experts have one thing in common: They provide massive value to their clients. And to achieve this, you have to understand the pain points of your clients.
Clients do not hire social media experts to help them create social media posts, they hire them to increase their company’s brand awareness. Companies don’t hire email marketing consultants to help them send emails, they hire them to increase the click-through rate and sales. If you want to become one of the best digital consultants, you need to dig deep and understand the real reason why clients want to hire you and what pain points you need to address.
It’s likely that your potential clients have come to a point where they are too busy or confused and are willing to pay for external help. You, as a digital consultant, have to lead the situation and bring clarity and stability into the situation.
3. Be Results-Oriented
When you’re one of the best digital experts in the market, people will constantly take a look at the results you have produced. Rest assured, it’s a good thing. After all, what separates the best digital consultants from the rest is results. A well-designed website and flashy business card is good, but nothing beats exceptional results - period.
There are other benefits of being results-oriented as well. When you’re smashing your KPIs and generating heaps of revenue for your clients, you earn the right to charge a higher fee. For example, if your digital advertising campaign brings $1 million in revenue to your client, you could charge a 5% commission on it and earn a whopping $50,000.
And yes, it’s business. So, if you produce results for your clients, they will surely recommend you to other companies, and this will help you expand your business. Not to mention all the testimonials and case studies you can get through them - another factor that differentiates the best digital experts from the rest.
Sign up With a Digital Consulting Platform
Gone are the days when only big corporations could access expert advice from top consultants. Several digital experts platforms have emerged in the market in the past decade, for this reason, connecting with digital consultants is a lot easier than before.
Potential clients who are too busy working on their business might not necessarily have the time or resources to find a consultant themselves. That’s when they approach these online digital experts platforms to access the best freelance talent.
If you’re taking your freelance digital consultant career seriously, you should undoubtedly sign up with one of these digital consulting platforms. This could give you an opportunity to work with high-paying clients that might be out of your reach otherwise. Moreover, you could focus on delivering the best results for your existing clients, instead of worrying about how to close the next client.
4. Offer Free Knowledge Online
Whether it’s posting a LinkedIn article or creating a YouTube video, the best way to establish yourself as a figure of authority in the industry is to post valuable content online. The results might not always be immediate, but as time passes, you could start getting attention from potential clients. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Even if your online content doesn’t get much traction, there’s a high chance that clients might take a look at it before hiring you. If they feel like you know what you’re talking about, their likelihood of hiring you will surely increase. Never forget that content with fewer views is better than no online presence at all.
Conclusion
When it comes to digital consulting, mastering a specific niche is far more beneficial than being a generalist. If you become the go-to person for a particular problem, your chances of getting recommended and rehired could be way better. Also, you must understand why exactly your client is paying you. Meaning that you must understand their pain points and offer a results-oriented service. Remember, with great results, come great testimonials and case studies.
Also, you wouldn’t always have to worry about onboarding the best clients if you sign up with a digital consulting platform. These platforms could connect you with excellent clients. And last but not least, provide free value to your connections by posting informative content related to your niche. This is a sure-fire way to become a force to be reckoned with.
