Creating A Marketing Strategy In Your Consulting Plan

Ever feel like you're saying all the right things in your marketing… but no one’s biting? You’re posting, emailing, creating content — yet people scroll past. They don’t lean in. They don’t convert. Here’s why: You’ve made you the hero of the story. But your customer? They’re the real hero. And you’re the guide. This one shift changed everything in my business. I started using the StoryBrand framework—a proven method that’s helped me drive millions in revenue—and it completely transformed how I communicate with potential clients. Here’s the 7-step breakdown to implement it in your own marketing 👇 1️⃣ Identify the Hero (Hint: It’s Not You) Your audience doesn’t care about your degrees or your hustle—they care about their journey. Speak directly to their struggles and dreams. “Are you stuck at five-figure months, wondering if six figures is even possible for you?” 2️⃣ Clarify the Problem Define the villain standing in their way—confusion, burnout, poor systems, fear of visibility. “You’ve tried all the tactics, but none of them are moving the needle—and your to-do list keeps growing.” 3️⃣ Present Yourself as the Guide Show empathy and authority. Be the mentor who’s walked the path before. “I’ve helped 100+ founders simplify their marketing and grow sustainably—because I’ve been exactly where you are.” 4️⃣ Offer a Clear Plan No one follows a vague roadmap. Break it down. Book a 20-min consult → Get your 90-day growth plan → Build a scalable lead flow without burnout 5️⃣ Call Them to Action Be direct. Give them the next step. “Click ‘Apply Now’ to get a custom strategy that fits your goals (and your energy).” 6️⃣ Show the Stakes What happens if they don’t act? What happens if they do? “Keep piecing things together, and you’ll stay stuck. But with a focused plan, you’ll finally gain traction—and peace of mind.” 7️⃣ Paint the Transformation Let them see what life looks like on the other side. “Imagine waking up to qualified leads in your inbox—without scrambling or second-guessing your strategy.” Why it works: Because StoryBrand mirrors the structure of every great story we’ve ever loved. A hero. A challenge. A guide. A plan. A win. Whether you're writing a sales page, building a funnel, or creating a social post—use this framework to make your message irresistibly clear. 👥 Know someone who could use this? Share or tag them—this framework could change how they show up in their business.

Most new consultants struggle, not from lack of skill, but from distraction. They chase visibility without clarity. Post content before building a message. Offer free calls with no strategy to convert. Motion is great, but motion without a plan creates motion sickness. I learned this the hard way. Once I applied the Critical Path to my own business, I stopped chasing random tactics and started landing premium clients consistently. In project management, the Critical Path is the sequence of steps that determines how fast a project can be completed. → Delay a step, delay the outcome. The Critical Path Law says the shortest route to consistent clients lies in the few actions that can’t be skipped or outsourced. Delay them, and you delay success. Here’s The Critical Path to Winning Clients: 1. Clarify your market ↳Stop being generic. If your message works for “everyone,” it converts no one. 2. Build visible, valuable content ↳Not just tips. Create posts that reflect your prospect’s inner dialogue. 3. Engage like a strategist, not a spammer ↳Leave meaningful comments daily. Focus on creators and prospects who shape your space. 4. Send DMs with relevance, not desperation ↳No cold pitch decks. Start conversations. Ask thoughtful questions. Offer insights. 5. Create an offer too good to ignore ↳Free strategy calls feel vague and valueless. Instead, offer something specific: → A 30-minute Profit Diagnostic that reveals $100K+ in hidden profit opportunities. → A Marketing Review that shows why the best customers pass them by (and how to fix it). Make it so outcome-focused and risk-free, your prospect would feel irresponsible for saying no. This sequence is the critical path to getting your first 3–5 (or next) premium clients—without burning out or begging. P.S. I’ll help you install this critical path in your business, just like I did in mine, to create a steady pipeline of premium clients and dependable income. Join elite business consultants and coaches in my resource letter, The AI-Powered Business Advisor. You’ll get one lesson each that helps you build, launch, and grow a profitable, one-person consulting and coaching practice. Subscribe at BusinessBreakthroughAdvisors[dot]com

When agencies and consultancies think about growth 📈, they often jump straight to lead generation. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 🔬 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴! According to a study 🤓 by marketing effectiveness experts Les Binet and Peter Field with LinkedIn's B2B Institute, 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲—especially in highly competitive fields like agencies and consulting, where many firms offer similar services. The authors explain that 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 ⚖️: 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. While lead generation efforts can deliver quick wins, these effects fade fast without brand support. In contrast, 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, creating lasting impacts that increase your chances of landing bigger deals over time. Binet and Field's research found that B2B marketing works best when companies 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝟰𝟲% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 💰 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟱𝟰% 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱-𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. The report also emphasizes the importance of "mental availability," 🧠 —meaning how easily your brand comes to mind when clients are ready to buy. 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝟯𝘅 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 than rational campaigns focused purely on product details or direct selling. Ultimately, agencies and consulting firms aiming for 6 and 7-figure opportunities must 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 💭 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲. 𝗔 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰, 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗔𝗕𝗠) 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 🔑 𝗸𝗲𝘆. According to researchers Binet and Field, blending these two strategies drives more effective, profitable, and sustainable growth in B2B. The message is clear for agencies and consultancies wanting stronger new business results: 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱-𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵. That's how you 🏆 win bigger, better opportunities. ___ 📥 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Join 40,000+ agency and consulting leaders getting smarter about business development—subscribe to my "𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘞𝘪𝘯" newsletter. https://lnkd.in/gv2CvHNU