Since I launched Cordelia Anderson Consulting nearly nine months ago, people often ask me, “Cordelia, what kinds of clients do you work with?”
When I first started my business, I used two factors to determine potential clients: network and expertise. To elaborate, the questions I asked myself were, 1) “who is in my network,” and 2) “what is my unique area of expertise?” With a 20-year marketing and communications career already under my belt, with 15 of those years spent working at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, I had developed a lot of expertise and relationships. And I needed to figure out what to do with all of that.
The answers to those questions led me to two primary groups of clients:
- Locally, I tend to work with clients who fall into the nonprofit, government and/or education sectors.
- Nationally, I tend to work with libraries (public and academic) and the people or organizations who work with libraries.
This approach has allowed me to continue doing what I love to do, and to leverage the relationships and expertise I’ve acquired over the past two decades. I get to continue to work in the community I know and love (Charlotte), and I also get to help an industry that I know and love (libraries). It’s a win-win for me – and hopefully for my clients as well!
What does this mean to you? That depends!
Perhaps you’re just getting started on a business venture of your own, and are trying to figure out who your potential clients are. If so, ask yourself those questions about network and expertise, and see what comes to mind.
Perhaps you work at one of the types of organizations I mentioned. If you are, feel free to reach out – I’d love to chat and to see if I can help.
Finally, perhaps you’re already a client. If so, thank you! Your business is what keeps me going and growing.
Regardless of which best describes you, if you have any ideas or thoughts you’d like to share, shoot me an email! I’m here and I’m interested.
Cordelia Anderson Consulting 