A Consultant

1
A Consultants Web Site Lucrative or Just Nice
to Have?

• Tanya Mellen
• May 20, 2003

2
What is an independent communications consultant?

• Self-employed
• Hired by the hour or by project to perform
  services in the communications field

3
The marketing challenge

• Marketing a consultants services is a challenge.
• The Internet provides great potential as a
  marketing vehicle.
• The number of consultants using a Web site as a
  marketing tool is increasing.
• The use of Web sites is increasing in every
  field.
• The number of people using the Web to find
  information is increasing.

4
What I wanted to learn

• Does having a Web site increase an independent
  communications consultants business?

5
How I found the answer

• Paper survey mailed to 80 U.S. communications
  consultants
• 40 Known to have a Web site
• 40 Unknown
• Results shared
• Gift certificate drawing held

6
What I asked

• 32 questions
• Two paths one for consultants with a Web site
  one for consultants without a site
• Different types of questions
• General questions asked of all respondents
• Specific questions asked of two groups

7
Who responded

• 46 responses
• 58 response rate
• A good response, but a small sample
• Responses from people in 20 different states

8
More about the respondents

• 71 in marketing communications
• Half with more than 9 years of experience
• Average salary range 40,000-80,000
• 76 age 41 or older
• 72 female
• 59 with a Web site

9
Have consultants gained new business through
their Web site?
10
Amount of new business gained through Web site
Percentage of current business generated through
Web site
11
From what groups are consultants gaining business?

• Web sites appear most effective for generating
  business from new clients and for generating
  leads.
• Web sites do not appear effective at increasing
  business with existing clients.

12
Survey reveals Information common to most Web
sites

1. Contact information
2. Business overview
3. Overview of service offerings
4. Biographical information
5. Work samples

• The more types of information included, the
  better.

13
Survey reveals Most effective features of a site

• Work samples
• Advice or tips
• Overview of services

14
Survey reveals Most effective strategies for
driving traffic to a site

1. Including site address on business materials
2. Listing on search engines such as Google
3. Listing on site directories such as Yahoo!

• The more strategies used, the better.

15
Survey reveals Freshness of Web content and new
business

• People who have gained business update at least
  quarterly.
• People who have not gained business update
  semi-annually.
• Updating site more frequently may
• increase business.

16
Survey reveals Age of Web site related to new
business

• Median age of Web site for consultants who
• have increased business 4 years or more.
• Median age of Web site for consultants who
• have not increased business Less than 4 years.
• The longer a site exists, the more likely it
• may be to generate business.

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What it all means

• Does having a Web site increase an independent
  communications consultants business? Yes.
• The mere existence of a site does not guarantee
  business.
• The more effort, the more successful the site.
• Five success factors

18
Who can benefit from this information?

• Other independent communications consultants
• The field is growing
• Independent consultants in other fields
• The people who hire consultants

19
Questions?