Does your public presence reflect your strategy?

Years ago, I worked at a firm that had its sights set on a major utilities company who had invited specific law firms to tender. We had the expertise, the experience, and the team but we did not make the short list.

When we picked up the phone to ask why we had not been invited to tender, the response hit hard:
"in our due diligence, we did not see anything that suggested you worked in our sector. You don't write about it, you don't participate in it, so we assumed you did not have the necessary experience."

Just like that, we were out of the game - not because we were not capable, but because we had not communicated our capabilities clearly.

Today, potential clients can be more than halfway through the decision-making process before they even reach out to the firm. Some studies show that buyers might be 50-70% through the buying cycle before they even make contact with you. Which means in many cases, the battle for their business has already started - and if you are not visible, you may have already lost.

Clients are increasingly doing their own research. They are reading articles, scanning your website, recognition (directories), checking LinkedIn, and looking for insights that demonstrate your expertise.

They want to know:
1. Do you understand our industry?
2. Have you tackled challenges like ours?
3. Are you plugged into the latest trends and changes?

If the answers to these questions are not apparent in your public presence - through articles, case studies, or other content - you might never even know you were considered.

Something to think about.....