2. Innovate – Be what everyone else aspires to be. Become recognized as an innovator. Be the consulting practice that finds unique solutions or uses unique practices to create unique solutions. Innovators capture attention. Never follow, always lead.

3. Keep it Simple – Regardless of the brilliance of your solutions, do not pontificate. Be prepared to explain your products, your services and solutions in simple, easy-to-absorb language. If necessary, educate the client and let them enjoy and savor your remedies. If your solutions are complex, break them down into explainable segments.

4. Testimonials – Resource testimonials surpass all others. If you have references and testimonials from recognizable third-party universities, think-tanks or well-known institutions, put them to work in your marketing strategy. Those are the type testimonials that are unique to your practice and that is what clients want to see and hear.

5. Guarantee Results – The consultant’s guarantee will look and sound good. Be sure you can deliver. Back the guarantee with strong performance and simple language. Your word is your bond. If you can reduce absenteeism, or increase productivity or increase value, say so. Do not force a guarantee. If you issue the guarantee, put it in simple language. If your intended guarantee is burdened with contingencies, do not put it on the table.

6. Be Honest – Clients are skeptical about consulting company claims of success. Be forthright about your consultancy’s successes. Do not overstate the complexity of projects or their results. Be real. Be prepared to explain stumbling blocks, what makes projects work and factors that are destructive.

7. Show Your Hand Early – Make sure your new client-consultant relationship starts well. Give away a tip, some work samples or show a genuine willingness to make the project flow easily by extending yourself early in the project. Be easy to work with and offer free, constructive solutions to developing a working relationship. Allow the client’s staff to excel. You are setting the stage for a win-win consultancy.

8. Be First – This is another way to set your consulting services apart from the masses. Identify the item or items that your consultancy accomplished first. This is another example of the uniqueness of your services. Even if the accomplishment is small, it is a beginning. Keep track of these “first to accomplish” tasks as your practice expands.