David A. Fields Consulting Group Sit back and imagine your consulting firm as pure, rich, creamy scoops of ice cream.
Prospects and consulting opportunities are the hot fudge that pours onto your icy practice in a steady, glossy stream of chocolatey richness.
When you put it that way, it’s hard not to like consulting, right?
Except, that you need to keep the fudge sauce hot—at least 165°F or the topping hits your firm in large, unpredictable lumps and clumps.
If it cools down too much, the flow may stop entirely.
Lumps and clumps. That sums up most consulting firms’ revenue flow.
What’s the heat source that keeps your tasty pipeline of prospects hot?
Marketing.
While marketing your consulting firm can seem daunting, it’s really quite simple.
5 Steps to Effective, Consulting Firm Marketing
Have a Point of View
Your firm should have a well-considered Success Thesis: a rational explanation of why some players in your target market perform better than others.
Your point of view (i.e., your Success Thesis) doesn’t need to be unique, controversial or differentiated.
However, you do need to be able to support your point of view with data, evidence, case studies and/or anecdotes.
Make Your Point of View Easy to Understand
Long, rambling explanations suck the energy and credibility from your Success Thesis.
Metaphors, models, and simple frameworks (like the classic 2×2 chart) are your consulting firm’s best friend.
Test out your explanation on a slow-witted, adult relative. If he says, “Yeah, I get it,” while brushing the rainbow sprinkles from his chin, you’re good to go.
Make Your Point of View Actionable
Clients don’t hire consultants who are smart and have interesting ideas.
Clients hire consulting firms that will tell them confidently and specifically what to do.
Whether your consulting firm offers advice, planning, implementation or some combination of those three, your marketing will only produce clients if you translate your Success Thesis into specific, granular action steps.
Shout Your Point of View Where Prospects Can Hear You
Prospects need to hear your point of view (obviously).
That’s what the Five Marketing Musts are for.
The Five Marketing Musts are Networking, Writing, Speaking, Trade Associations (a.k.a. Collaborations), and Digital Presence.
Choose the marketing channels that fit your consulting firm’s strengths and your prospects’ likelihood to engage.
If your best prospects read mangas, then illustrate your Success Thesis with Japanese-style drawings and post it on crunchyroll.com. (Let me know when you’re back from Googling all that.)
Market Now, and Later
Don’t wait until your Success Thesis is fully formed to start broadcasting.
Announce your consulting firm’s thinking now.
Don’t wait until every one of your relatives understands your consulting firm’s concise message.
Publish it now.
Don’t wait until your action steps are fully formed.
Broadcast your Success Thesis now.
Don’t wait until the perfect, high-ROI marketing plan has been assembled.
Jump into action now.
Don’t wait until all (or most) words, colors, images, or graphics are “right.”
Market now.
That seems pretty clear.
Then repeat your consulting message. Over, and over.
Along the way, you can fine tune, adjust, shift, modify and even completely reverse your opinion.
You can develop entirely new Success Theses, and try new channels.
As long as you consistently keep the heat up, attracting a steady flow of consulting clients is as easy as… well… eating ice cream.
In the comments, share your favorite marketing tip (or your favorite marketing metaphor).
Text and images are © 2025 David A. Fields, all rights reserved.
Wow! This blog is gold! Pure gold! Thanks David.
Super glad it’s helpful for you, Aaron! Thanks for providing your feedback.
Timely piece, sir. It’s like you were eavesdropping on our recent discussions!
Uh, oh, Richard, you caught me. I’m glad the “plant a bug in every consulting office in the world” efforts are paying off! 😉
I appreciate your leaving a comment, Richard.
Hi David,
Great article, but could you give some specific examples of Points of View from firms you admire? I think I would have a better understanding and be better suited to craft my own if I could see examples.
Many Thanks!
James
James, the article itself is an example. It clearly has a point of view, it’s easy to understand, it gives you specific, concrete actions and it was published where you (and many, many others) can see it.
One of our clients called yesterday to talk through pricing on multiple proposals. He commented that after 18 months of following the formula in this article–publishing his own thought leadership pieces on LinkedIn, and gaining a following of over 25,000 contacts, work is starting to pour in.
Look at any article in the McKinsey Quarterly to see an example of a clear point of view.
Thanks for asking for the examples, James!
Thanks for the answer. I did reread this article and I see what you mean. I was overthinking it. I do have a point of view after all.