With competition getting harder, fields tighter, and clients generally reducing (rather then expanding) their panels of professional service providers, it's more important than ever to be noticed in a positive way and make it through into the consciousness of clients and prospective clients.
Findings from Julian Midwinter & Associates many hundreds of client interviews, and other industry and academic sources, all confirm that being positively noticed by prospective clients is both more difficult and more important than ever before.
Here are some of the things you can do to grab "share of mind" as a prerequisite to being asked to propose:
- be recognised as a leader in your field - reputation for excellence and distinctive expertise is the best first step
- become a source of valuable information - whether through articles, newsletters, website, or as a source for the press, being an important source of ideas, analysis, commentary, or industry trends is a great way to get positive attention
- participate in key forums - speak at appropriate conferences (for small fees if any) - be active in industry and professional associations, network with others to share your professional interests, and be generous with your time and support for initiatives of wide benefit to your consumer community
- research and innovate - demonstrate "thought leadership" by challenging conventional approaches and developing new and better solutions for the consumer, at lower overall cost or risk, to tough problems
- don't just do one thing - do lots of these things often - the effects of any one of these activities, in isolation, is unlikely to be impressive. The cumulative effect of doing lots of these things, constantly, is likely to be great. Indeed, it can multiplicative !
Winning "share of mind" will win you some work. Mostly, it will position you to be given the opportunity to win lots more work.
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