Your Go-to-Market Strategy - How You'll Reach Customers

The term "go-to-market strategy" sounds like something only big companies need. But it's really just a clear plan for how you'll find and reach the people you want to serve. And for an expertise-based consulting business, the strategy is simpler than you might think.

You're not going to use ads. You're not going to use PR. You're not going to build an app or hire a sales team. At least not yet. Those channels work for some businesses, but they're not where expertise-based consulting businesses find their first clients. They find them through trust-based channels — channels where your credibility and relationships do the heavy lifting.

Here are the five channels you'll use, in order of effectiveness.

Channel 1: Your Direct Network (Fastest, Highest Trust)

The people who already know you — former colleagues, industry contacts, professional acquaintances. They've seen your work. They trust your judgment. They're the easiest people to reach and the most likely to say yes (or refer you to someone who will).

This is your first channel for a reason. It requires zero marketing budget, zero brand awareness, and zero social proof. Your existing relationships are all the social proof you need.

How to Activate Your Network

Step 1: Make the list. Go through your phone contacts, LinkedIn connections, email history, and memory. Write down every person who (a) knows your work, (b) works in or adjacent to your target niche, or (c) is a connector — someone who knows lots of people.

Aim for at least 50 names. You'll reach out to the top 20 first.

Step 2: Craft the message. Don't pitch. Don't sell. Simply let people know what you're doing and ask if they know anyone who might benefit from a conversation.

Here's a message template that works:

"Hi [Name], I wanted to let you know I'm starting a consulting practice helping [specific customer] solve [specific problem]. After [X years] in [industry], I decided to take my experience and put it to work independently. I'm not asking you to hire me — but if you know anyone who's dealing with [specific challenge], I'd love an introduction. How's everything going with you?"

Step 3: Follow up. Many people will mean to respond and forget. Follow up after a week with a brief, friendly message. Don't be pushy — just stay on their radar.

Step 4: Track your outreach. Use a simple spreadsheet: Name, Date Contacted, Response, Next Step. This turns networking from a vague activity into a systematic process.

What to Expect

Of 20 outreach messages, you can typically expect:

• 12-15 will respond (your existing relationships create high response rates)
• 5-7 will express interest or ask follow-up questions
• 2-4 will offer introductions or referrals
• 1-2 will become prospects themselves

Those numbers might not sound huge, but they represent the fastest path to your first revenue. And each introduction leads to more introductions.

Real-world example: Maria, a displaced operations manager from a logistics company, sent 25 outreach messages in her first week. Eleven people responded. Three offered introductions. One of those introductions became a $4,000/month retainer client within three weeks. That single client covered her basic expenses and gave her the confidence to keep building.

Channel 2: Referrals From Happy Clients (Cheapest, Most Sustainable)

Once you have clients delivering results, referrals become your most powerful channel. Referred prospects already trust you before you've spoken. They close faster, stay longer, and pay more willingly. Build a habit of asking for referrals after every positive client interaction.

The Referral System

Referrals don't happen by accident (well, occasionally they do — but you can't build a business on "occasionally"). You need a system.

When to ask: After a milestone or win. When a client says something positive. At the end of a successful engagement. During a quarterly review where you're showing results.

How to ask: Be specific. "Do you know any other [specific type of company] that might be dealing with [specific problem]?" is infinitely more effective than "Do you know anyone who could use my help?"

How to make it easy: Offer to draft the introduction email. Here's a template you can send to your client:

"Hi [Client Name], I'd love to connect with [Contact Name] to see if I might be able to help with [specific challenge]. Would you be comfortable sending a brief introduction? Here's a draft you can use or modify: 'Hi [Contact Name], I've been working with [Your Name] on [project] and the results have been excellent. [Your Name] specializes in [your niche] and I thought you two should connect. [Your Name], meet [Contact Name]. [Contact Name], meet [Your Name].' Feel free to change anything — I just wanted to make it easy for you."

How to follow up: If a client says they'll make an introduction and doesn't, follow up in a week with a gentle nudge: "Hey, just wanted to follow up on that introduction to [Contact Name]. No pressure at all — I know you're busy. But if you get a chance, I'd really appreciate it."

The Referral Math

Here's why referrals are so powerful:

• Close rate from cold outreach: 2-5%
• Close rate from content/inbound leads: 10-20%
• Close rate from referrals: 30-50%

Referrals close at 5-10x the rate of cold outreach. And they cost zero dollars to generate. If you build a referral engine that produces even 2-3 qualified introductions per month, you'll never struggle for clients.

Channel 3: LinkedIn (Best for Expertise-Based Businesses)

LinkedIn is where your target clients spend time professionally. Use it in two ways: (1) publish content that demonstrates your expertise, and (2) send direct messages to people who match your customer avatar. Don't pitch in the first message — start a conversation.

LinkedIn Content Strategy

The goal of LinkedIn content isn't to go viral. It's to consistently demonstrate your expertise to the people who are most likely to hire you. Here's the cadence that works:

• 2-3 posts per week: Mix of insights, stories, and practical advice
• 1 longer article per month: A deeper dive into a topic your niche cares about
• Regular engagement: Comment thoughtfully on other people's posts in your niche

What to Post

Here's a weekly content calendar:

Monday: The insight post. Share a specific, actionable insight from your experience. "After 47 HIPAA audits, here's the #1 mistake I see healthcare startups make..." Format: short paragraphs, bullet points, end with a question.

Wednesday: The story post. Share a specific story from your career or client work (anonymized). "A client came to me with a 90-day deadline to fix 14 compliance violations. Here's what we did..." Format: narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Friday: The perspective post. Share your take on an industry trend, news item, or common belief. "Everyone says [common belief]. Here's why that's incomplete..." Format: contrarian or nuanced take, backed by experience.

LinkedIn Outreach (Direct Messages)

LinkedIn DMs work when they're genuine and not salesy. Here's the approach:

1. Identify prospects who match your customer avatar.
2. Connect with a personalized note: "Hi [Name], I noticed you're [role] at [company]. I work with [similar companies] on [specific problem] and thought we might have some shared interests. Would love to connect."
3. After connecting, don't pitch. Engage with their content. Share relevant resources. Build the relationship.
4. After 2-3 genuine interactions, you can offer a conversation: "Based on what you've been sharing, it sounds like you might be dealing with [specific challenge]. I've helped several companies in your space with that — happy to share what I've seen if you'd find it useful. No pitch, just a conversation."

Channel 4: Industry Events and Associations (Best for Credibility)

Attending and speaking at industry events puts you in front of qualified prospects who self-selected by being at an event related to your niche. A 20-minute talk at an industry conference can generate more leads than months of cold outreach.

Getting Speaking Slots

Most industry events are actively looking for speakers with real-world experience. Here's how to get on stage:

1. Start local. Local chapters of industry associations are always looking for speakers. The bar is lower and the audience is smaller, which is perfect for practicing.
2. Propose specific topics. "5 Compliance Mistakes That Cost Government Contractors $1M+" is more appealing to conference organizers than "Thoughts on Compliance."
3. Leverage your network. If you know someone who's spoken at an event before, ask for an introduction to the organizer.
4. Create a speaker page. A simple webpage with your headshot, bio, topic descriptions, and any past speaking clips makes it easy for organizers to say yes.

Maximizing Event ROI

Attending or speaking at an event is only valuable if you follow up. Here's the post-event system:

• Collect contact information from everyone you have a meaningful conversation with.
• Send follow-up messages within 48 hours. "Great meeting you at [event]. I enjoyed our conversation about [topic]. Would love to continue the conversation — are you free for a 20-minute call next week?"
• Connect on LinkedIn and engage with their content.
• Add them to your newsletter (with permission) so they continue to hear from you.

Industry-Specific Event Strategy

If you came from Government: GovCon networking events, agency-specific industry days, NCMA conferences, and government contractor association meetups. The government contracting world is tight-knit — being visible at these events builds credibility fast.

If you came from Big Tech: Tech startup conferences, product management meetups, CTO summits, and SaaS-specific events. Tech alumni networks (former Amazon, Google, Meta employees) also host regular events — these are goldmines for networking.

If you came from Healthcare: HIMSS, HFMA, local health system conferences, and specialty-specific events. Healthcare values credentials heavily, so getting a speaking slot carries significant weight. Join professional associations like ACHE (American College of Healthcare Executives) and participate actively.

If you came from Finance: CFO roundtables, startup funding events, fintech conferences, and CPA association meetups. Finance communities tend to be tightly connected — a recommendation from one CFO to another carries enormous weight.

Channel 5: Content Marketing (Slowest Start, Highest Long-Term Return)

Writing articles, creating guides, publishing case studies — this takes time to build but eventually generates inbound leads while you sleep. Start with one or two LinkedIn posts per week and a quarterly case study.

The Content Funnel

Think of content as a funnel:

• Top of funnel (awareness): LinkedIn posts, short articles, industry commentary. These reach the most people and establish your expertise.
• Middle of funnel (consideration): Detailed guides, case studies, webinars. These demonstrate depth and give prospects a taste of your approach.
• Bottom of funnel (decision): Client testimonials, ROI calculators, diagnostic tools. These help prospects make the final decision to work with you.

Most new consultants only create top-of-funnel content. The real power comes from building the full funnel over time.

Content That Generates Clients

The highest-converting content for expertise-based consultants is the case study. A well-written case study shows prospects exactly what working with you looks like — the problem, your approach, and the results.

Here's a case study format that works:

1. The situation: Who was the client and what were they facing?
2. The challenge: What made this problem difficult?
3. The approach: What did you do, step by step?
4. The results: What changed? Include specific numbers.
5. The takeaway: What can others learn from this?

Even if you anonymize the client ("a mid-size government contractor"), the specificity of the situation makes it compelling. Aim to publish one case study per quarter.

How Your First 10 Customers Will Likely Come

• Direct network: 3-4 customers
• Referrals from early clients: 2-3 customers
• LinkedIn outreach and content: 2 customers
• Industry events: 1-2 customers

This path isn't glamorous. There's no viral moment. No overnight success. But it's the path that actually works for expertise-based businesses — because it's built on trust and relationships, not algorithms and ad spend.

The 90-Day Go-to-Market Launch Plan

Here's exactly what to do in your first 90 days:

Days 1-30: Network Activation
- List 50 contacts in your network
- Reach out to 20 with your announcement message
- Follow up with all non-responders after one week
- Set up your LinkedIn profile with your positioning statement
- Publish your first 4 LinkedIn posts

Days 31-60: Content and Outreach
- Continue LinkedIn posting (2-3 times per week)
- Identify and register for 2 industry events
- Start building your referral system with any early clients
- Create your first case study (even from career experience, not just consulting)
- Send 10 more network outreach messages

Days 61-90: Momentum Building
- Speak at or attend your first industry event
- Publish your first detailed guide or article
- Ask your first clients for referrals
- Begin LinkedIn outreach to prospects outside your immediate network
- Review and refine your go-to-market approach based on what's working

Exercise: Create Your Go-to-Market Plan

Step 1: List 20 people in your direct network to contact this month. Include their name, relationship to you, and how you'll reach out (email, LinkedIn, text, phone call).

Step 2: Identify 2 industry events you could attend or speak at in the next 90 days. Find the registration links and deadlines.

Step 3: Write 3 LinkedIn post topics you could publish this week. For each topic, note the key insight you want to share and why your niche audience would care.

Step 4: Rank all of these actions by which you'll do first, and put specific deadlines on each one.

Step 5: Block time on your calendar for go-to-market activities. If it's not on your calendar, it won't happen. Aim for at least 5 hours per week dedicated to finding and reaching clients.