In professional services, if there’s one thing that stops people investing in online marketing, it’s the idea that you can’t sell consulting services over the web. There’s some truth in this, but also a whole lot wrong with it. So read on if you want to look at this differently and transform your approach to sales pipeline building.

Of course it’s true that people won’t get their credit cards out to buy high priced intangible products that normally have long sales gestation periods and require expert conversations before a deal takes place. However don’t let this fool you into ignoring the stages of the sales and marketing process where the web can make massive contributions, it can shrink sales cycles and automate lead generation by taking people out of the process. What it can do for you is bring more prospects to the table, win their trust and get them deeper into your sales funnel without expensive people ever having met them!

Once you’ve moved to this way of thinking, you’ll have prospects knocking on your door rather than you on theirs, your sales pipeline will be a lot healthier, your expensive people will be better utilized and your cost of client acquisition will be much lower than it is today.

If you are going to move to this mindset you need to work on three key things:

1. Talk in the ‘needs’ language of your target audience.

2. Provide useful information that educates them and earns their trust.

3. Make your website the hub for all marketing campaigns.

Here’s how:

1. Talk in the ‘needs’ language of your target audience.

The buying language of consulting consumers is often very different to the selling language used by consultants on their websites. This results in a misalignment between the buyer and the seller. We all know that consultants like to talk about themselves more than they do about their clients! When your clients go online to do their research, you want to be the one that sings their song and presses their buttons. So if you do your homework and identify with their needs, wants and issues, rather than your products, services and company, then you’ll be the one to grab their attention and bring them one step closer. » Read more: Don’t Be Stupid, You Can’t Sell Consulting Over The Web!