Latest / Black Girls Consult TOO! / Episode 106: How to Become More Visible as a Consultant to Land More Clients

Transcript

Episode 106: How to Become More Visible as a Consultant to Land More Clients · Black Girls Consult TOO!

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Are you a woman in consulting wanting more visibility for your business?
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: If you do, that's not unusual.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: In order to land more clients, we have to be visible.
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: People need to know that we have services that we offer and solutions that we can provide.
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: But how do you become more visible when it seems like you're the world's best kept secret?
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: If you're interested in knowing the answer to that, then stay tuned, because we're going to talk about visibility today and how you master it.
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: They say the odds are stacked against us as women, especially women of color, trying to thrive in the consulting world.
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: But rather than wait for a seat at the table that may never come, what if we build our own tables?
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: What if we channel our talents into guiding each other towards the success we deserve?
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the Black Girls Console 2 Podcast.
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: I'm your host, dr Andrew Nadevis, and I've walked the path from healthcare consultant to a mentor for women like you, ambitious, unstoppable and ready to make waves in the consulting world.
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: This podcast is your go-to spot for all things entrepreneurial consulting.
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: For us as women, especially women of color, think of it as your weekly coffee date with a friend who's here to dish out real talk on building a solid business, elevating your thought leadership and mastering that all important mindset.
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: And let's not forget, we're doing all of this while balancing day jobs, family life and running teams.
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: Yes, we can do it all.
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: So if you're ready to dive into how you can grow a thriving consultancy or get strategies and insights that actually fit your busy lifestyle, then you're in the right place.
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: Grab your coffee, tea or, hey, even a glass of wine, I won't judge and let's get started.
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: Hi, my name is Dr Angelina Davis and I'm the host of the Black Girls Consult to Podcast, and I want to welcome you here today, where we're going to talk a little bit about visibility and how you can beef up the visibility in your business, because, let's be honest, we want people to know that we have something that we can provide and services that we offer that can drive change and make a significant impact and a huge difference in their lives and their business, and the only way for us to do that is to get our names out there.
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: But, if we're honest, I think many of us struggle with what we need to do to make that happen, and most often it's because we have placed ourselves in a box where we can't be seen.
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: It's almost as if we're hiding.
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: We is out of fear, and oftentimes it can be because we are concerned about what others may say, think or whether or not we're going to be judged.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: But in order for us to achieve the goal of becoming more visible and putting ourselves into the marketplace, to stand out and be recognized by the clients that we want to serve many times, that are very established and successful themselves, then we have to get comfortable with becoming more visible, not just in a small room or with a small group of people, but to become more visible online.
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: I know you're probably thinking that in order to be visible, you need to be making YouTube videos, showing up online and throwing your face in front of a camera.
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: That is not necessarily true.
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: Yes, that's one way of becoming more visible, but what I really mean when I'm speaking about visibility, especially when it comes to growing your consulting business, I'm actually talking about how do you make your ideas, your thoughts, your perspective, your philosophy, the way that you problem solve and do things.
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: How do you make that more visible to those who may be interested in working with you?
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: That's the aspect of visibility that we want, because we must remember that we're in the business of expertise, meaning that we are selling our expertise and our intellectual property.
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: So those are the things that need to be seen Now.
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: We are part of the package in that, as a brand, as the consultant who is actually providing the service, we are the ones that are carrying that message, but it's not necessarily the fact that we have to be doing this through video content.
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: So one of the first ways that I like to urge many consultants to lean into this whole aspect of becoming more visible is to start putting in to paper.
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: Yes, that means that we need to write more.
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: Writing more can be writing to publish a article or a book.
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: It can be writing in the digital space and communicating online.
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: The whole point is that you're allowing yourself to download your ideas, your thoughts, onto paper or onto some type of medium where they can be communicated in written format.
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: By doing that, it helps others to better understand your thought process.
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: How do you come up with these ideas?
• 5:01
  Speaker 1: Do they resonate with the way you see the world, the way you see your industry?
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: Are they bought into the mission that you have and the goals that you want to accomplish?
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: Those are some of the things that are going to allow you to stand out Really.
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: When we think about visibility, it's about trying to show up in a way that is different from everyone else and your ideas, your thought.
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: That is an important element in part of this whole process.
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: I always like to give the example of my favorite coffee shop.
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: I go here every morning.
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: It's located right by my daughter's school.
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: It's a little coffee shop that's like a little hut where they serve coffee, so you can't go inside.
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: Just a couple of workers that can actually fit on this inner part of the coffee shop.
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: And when you go there, there's always a line, a drive-through line, that is running all the way through their parking lot and down the street.
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: And many people may wonder how can this little coffee shop be drawing in so much business?
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: Well, it's because they have chosen to be visible.
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: They have actually created a shop that looks different.
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: That is very noticeable when you're driving by, because you are not used to seeing such a small little hut and coffee shop sitting in the middle of a big parking lot.
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: It looks different, it looks strange, and when you get there you realize that the coffee is amazing, and so that causes you to drive past all of the big box stores, all of the Starbucks and the other larger coffee brands in order to get to this small local gym.
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: That's what we want to happen.
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: When it comes to the information that we're sharing, whether it is written or online, we want to be able to communicate our ideas in a way that's going to attract others because it's different.
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: So for us, it's not just about writing, but also making sure that what we are writing, what we're communicating, is also of a higher quality.
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: The quality of our content, the quality of our ideas and the thoughts and the messages that we're sharing is going to be directly connected to how visible we can become, because the more that we can be unique, authentically ourselves and to communicate a message that is in alignment with that, the more attractive we're going to be, those that actually resonate with us, and we can do all of this through what we're communicating, specifically in written form.
• 7:35
  Speaker 1: That written form can be utilized on other platforms and turned into video content.
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: That then allows us the second element, which is to show our face.
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: A thriving consulting business is built on a solid business foundation and a consulting code that leads you toward your ideal business and your ideal lifestyle.
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: And the great thing about this code is that it works for any type of consulting practice, whether you help clients with professional development, business management, grant writing, it or something entirely different.
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: This consulting code is not rocket science and is not beyond your reach, and when you crack the code, it can jumpstart the growth of your solo consulting practice and is what you need to know to get started and lend your first clients, and nothing more.
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: This is a step by step process I wish I had so many years ago, and that's why I wanted to share this with you and how you can do this too.
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: So if you're interested in starting your consulting business and creating a desirable offer to generate leads for your offer and to make sales, then the consulting code is your solution.
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: Visit wwwexceletconsultingcom for more information.
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: Being able to communicate with someone face to face is a way to build trust swiftly.
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: That's one of the reasons why, as consultants, we've leaned so heavily over the years on face to face meetings or some other type of video call as we move more into the Zoom era.
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: But we wanted to communicate where we could see someone's expression, where we can get a feel for how they react to certain issues or concerns, how they light up when things are exciting or maybe where they may shift and become unsettled when things don't resonate with them as well.
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: So that face to face communication is huge in terms of being able to create the visibility that we want and that we need.
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: So if we're able to show our face more, move from behind the logos, be able to put ourselves out there in a way where someone can see us and know how we look, how we sound, what we're doing, that is going to be a huge asset for us and I know that, something that oftentimes as women in consulting, especially as women of color, we are hesitant about doing.
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: I was actually looking at a statistic very recently through trend statistics that showed that 30% of all consultants were women.
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: That means that we are in a minority.
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: That difference that 30%, and even for women of color, less than that 30% those are the things that are going to help you stand out and stick in someone's mind.
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: So those are all ways to increase your visibility, to become more visible, to be someone that resonates on a different level because you're willing to be bold and to show your face as well as spread your ideas.
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: When the two go hand in hand, it can mean the world of difference in terms of building that trust and the connection that's needed for you to, like that little coffee shop, stand out from the crowd and have people attracted to you and drive mouths in order to work with you over someone else.
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: That is the power of visibility.
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: Now, what other way that I feel as if we are often more comfortable being visible in is attending meetups and gatherings and networking.
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: I think many of us feel comfortable in that setting because we can get lost in the crowd.
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: Part of visibility is not just physically being seen, but also being noticed and remembered.
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: Those are part of the process in terms of building the level of connection that you need in order to turn that into a lucrative contract or some other type of venture or collaboration in the future.
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: It's not just hey, I was there at that meeting, but oh, I remember you from that meeting.
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: You are the one that was sharing this wonderful idea or this thought, or I had a wonderful conversation with you and we clicked and it resonated.
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: That memory is what is going to help you sell later on down the line.
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: So we want to think about visibility in those spaces differently not just showing up, but being an active member in that setting, being able to be comfortable in how we're presenting ourselves so that we become more noticeable to others.
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: That's another aspect of visibility that is huge for us to take advantage of, because we are often already doing a lot of this work, but are we doing the work in a way that's going to work to our advantage?
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: It's always the question.
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: But now you know, I could not end our conversation without talking about how being online on whatever social platform that you feel is best whether that is Facebook, instagram, youtube, linkedin any of the platforms that have been helpful for you how showing up there can be such a huge benefit to your business, because, when it comes to visibility, nowadays, there is such a large number of individuals that are online at any given time that it only makes sense to show up in spaces where people already are.
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: How easy is that to do?
• 13:17
  Speaker 1: Now, I know many times we may not have time in order to dedicate to creating the perfect content or the perfect video, and I want to just give you a little bit of comfort in that it doesn't have to be perfect.
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: It doesn't have to be something that you have spent tons of hours mapping out and putting together.
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: It can authentically be you sharing your idea in the moment in a tweet, or maybe it is you sharing a clip or a video for something that you have recently done as a presentation or some other work in your job.
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: Maybe it is a simple photo with friends at a networking meeting.
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: There are ways that you can use those as opportunities to share more about yourself, more about your business, on a public platform.
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: Those are things that I want us to start doing intentionally, not just when we're thinking about it in the spur of the moment, but it needs to be a level of consistency there so that people can get used to seeing you, so that you become that memorable face that they see online or around them, in their community and their networks.
• 14:25
  Speaker 1: The more they're able to see you, the more that they get used to hearing your message and your thoughts and your ideas, the more that these clients will gravitate to you.
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: And this is going to be true whether you work in the business of the consumer or the business to business space.
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: Visibility is always going to be key, so the faster that we can lean into this, the faster that we are going to grow.
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: The bottom line is this you are not meant to be the world's best kept secret.
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: You need to be seen, heard, valued and appreciated, and the only way to get your thoughts, your ideas, your concepts, your frameworks into the world is for you to create this level of visibility for yourself and for your business through a given platform.
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: So, whether that platform for you is going to be through your writing, or maybe it's going to be through your social media content, through local meetups and gatherings, through online speeches on a big stage, however you choose to become more visible, I want to really urge you to make this a priority, because the more visible that you can become, the more likely that you will be to land the business that you truly desire to land, and then, more easily, you're going to attract clients that truly resonate with the work that you do, because they understand it, because they've heard it, because they've seen you, because they've watched you All of those things make you a more attractive candidate in the long run and, just like my little coffee shop, they will find themselves traveling far, far far through the internet, across town, whatever it may be, to find you, because they know that you offer something that they have not seen yet, and that is what we're looking for.
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: We want to attract clients and not just have to hunt them down, and part of that is to become more visible.
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: So I hope this helps.
• 16:24
  Speaker 1: I hope that you're able to use this as an opportunity to prioritize visibility in your business and until next time, take care, follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn, and don't forget to visit excel at consultingcom for more information to support your consulting journey.
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: Until next time, keep breaking glass silly, all right, take care.