Why isn't my data management marketing attracting clients?
You need to attract clients to your data management consulting or software business.
So you set up a blog, or other content platform, and think about what to publish.
Looking around, you see that a lot of people in the 'data bubble' are publishing content about data frameworks, data tactics and other practical content on the topic of data.
So you start creating similar content.
Because your thinking is that, as a data expert, you need to share lots of proof that you understand the practicalities of delivering your ‘data craft'.
So you create a few posts, hit publish and bingo - you get some likes, shares and comments.
But there's one thing missing - clients.
Why can't I attract clients?
It's not enough to create useful content.
It’s about creating the right content for the right audience. Your content is attracting an audience, it’s just that it's the wrong audience.
Instead of attracting clients, you’re attracting data evangelists and practitioners - others like you who are operating inside the 'data bubble’.
Now, these people are vitally important so don’t discount them.
This ‘Inner Circle’ of influencers and advocates will play a big part in spreading your message, but your priority is to attract ideal prospects to your struggling data consultancy.
So the question you have to ask is this...
Are your ideal clients found within the 'data bubble’?
When I speak to struggling consultancies and start piecing together their ideal client, we discover the dream client for their proposition is never going to resonate with the content produced because 99% of the time your ideal clients are not data practitioners.
Your customer (e.g. VP of Operations) is not scouring LinkedIn forums looking for articles on data quality dimensions or how to create a data governance stewardship framework.
They don't care about how to do the data stuff.
What they're interested in is WHY this stuff is important to them in the first place and how it rocks their world.?
Why is it relevant to their pains and goals?
What value does it generate for them?
How will it make them more effective and look like a rockstar at work?
How will it help them achieve their Aspirational Identity?
And that’s where so many data consultants get it wrong.
You’re trying too hard to publish ‘how to’ content, at the expense of the ‘why must you’ information that your ideal clients are in need of.
You're confusing your audience because the topics are too generalised and irrelevant to the very people you want to impress and educate.
And in the words of author of Storybrand, Don Miller, “If you confuse, you lose”.
Nowhere is this more apparent, than when people first land on your LinkedIn profile.
So, what are you saying exactly?
Here’s a random example of a profile I came across for a data management consultant that opens with...
“I’ve held positions such as technical director (responsible for the technical support and streamlining of the information engineering techniques) and consultant for the following disciplines: - information engineering, strategic planning, business analysis, information analysis, systems architecture, data architecture, data base designer, project leading, systems analysis, analyst/programmer and programmer."
See the problem? It's all about them, the data consultant, as opposed to the ideal client.
Senior business leaders reading that text will immediately zone out, how can they possibly discern a specialism? It's great for recruiters, terrible for buyers.
The consultant is talking about their abilities, instead of the one thing that will guarantee a prospects attention - how they solve a burning problem that the prospect has right now.
And this is mirrored in so many data consultancy websites that are inflicted with obscure data management straplines...
"We're here to give you the edge with data”.
“We Help Clients Navigate the Digital Shift.”
"We help your complicated data system adhere to your business objectives and better your bottom line.”
“We break the logjam of the traditional BI world and help our clients to reach their data dream”
If you took the logos away from these websites, you simply couldn’t differentiate them. The same for their LinkedIn profiles and company pages. If you sound the same as everyone else, how can your clients differentiate you? Chances are they can’t, so you get positioned as yet another commodity offering.
There is a smarter way.
Outcome Specialisation.
Once you start to strip away all of the things you could do, and focus on where you are truly world-class at solving a specific problem that delivers a certain outcome the client craves, things get easier...
You can focus in on key client segments and problems that are easier to articulate and build propositions for
Your delivery process becomes more structured, repeatable and less chaotic
Your blogs, articles and marketing becomes crisp, focused, and customer-centric
You focus on what the client gets, so they are instantly hooked
The fact that your content isn’t resonating right now is pointing the way - it's telling you that no-one is acting on your message, something has to change.
Because when you dial this in, you'll get people reaching out after reading your profile and asking to speak to you about your solution.
And when they do that, you'll know that you've been able to create a pathway from content to customer...
Consistent (
Clarity +
Content +
Conversation +
Conversion )
= Customer
Footnote: It's not enough to share 'content' - you need to share insights
While we're talking about content, let's not forget that what your ideal client wants are insights.
Insights move people, make them think differently - calling them to take action.
Insights make people sit up and think...
“Damn, we're not doing that, why not?”
If you want people to buy your data services, your insight needs to explain the why first, then the what and then the who.
Most data consultants spend too much time focusing on the 'what’, for a vague 'who', and skip the 'why' altogether!
Your ideal client needs to know ‘WHY' this data stuff is relevant to them first, and when they do, they’ll naturally consider you as a preferred option to do the ‘WHAT’ because you will have articulated the problem in such a way that it really resonates with them.
You need to become a translator, or conduit, for ideas and concepts from the world of data, direct to your ideal client. It doesn't even need to be your own research or methodology, it's how you interpret the idea for your audience that creates the insight.
When you do that well, people will come to know, like and trust you more than other data consultancies because it will feel to them as you fully empathise with their situation.
And from there it’s just a matter of offering a proposition that is aligned to the pains and gains they’re looking to resolve that resonate with the insights you're sharing.
Got a vision for your data consultancy but need a structured approach to get you there?
I help data experts shape a vision for their data consultancy, then turn it into reality so that they can create greater wealth and freedom in their personal and professional lives.
We get to work on your positioning, proposition, presence and pipeline so that you can build a real business, one that excites and motivates you.
The process starts with a Breakthrough Call to explore your situation and unpack what's been holding you back.
Breakthrough calls are free, but availability is limited so it's best to book.
