How to Get Consulting Clients: 3 Smart Strategies for New Consultants

If you're ready to step into consulting but not sure where the clients are, you're not alone, and you're not behind.

One of the biggest questions I hear (from students, friends, even strangers at events!) is: "How do I get consulting clients when I'm just getting started?"

You might be thinking you need a big audience, paid ads, or a super-polished website before you can land a client. You don't.

In fact, in my experience—and in the hundreds of consultants I’ve helped launch—you can land your first high-value client without any of those things.

In this article, I’m walking you through 3 smart, proven strategies that’ll help you get consulting clients fast. These aren’t gimmicks or growth hacks. They’re sustainable, high-integrity approaches that work even if you’re starting from scratch.

Prefer to watch instead? Here’s a step-by-step breakdown in my YouTube video:

Bookmark it if you’re more of a visual learner—you’ll love it.

And if you're someone who likes to follow a checklist, I’ve created a free resource just for you: Download the Consulting Quick Start Guide to put everything in this article into action.

Strategy #1: Build Your Dream 100 (Even If You Don’t Have a Big Network Yet)

Let me introduce you to a concept that changed my business—and my students’ lives—forever: The Dream 100.

The original idea came from Chad Williams, one of Charlie Munger’s first salespeople (yes, that Charlie Munger—Warren Buffett’s right-hand man). Chad realized that 80% of his best results came from just 20% of his prospects. So he narrowed his focus to the 100 most aligned potential clients and the rest is history.

When I started consulting, I didn’t have thousands of followers or a fancy marketing funnel. But I did have relationships. People I knew from previous jobs, community events, masterminds, even friends of friends. So instead of trying to market to “everyone,” I created my own Dream 100 list.

Here’s how to do it:

Build Your Dream 100:

• Make a list of 100 businesses, organizations, or leaders you’d love to work with.

• Audit your existing connections. You’re probably closer to ideal clients than you think—often just one introduction away.

• Engage where they hang out. Comment on their posts. Attend events they’re speaking at. Share resources they’ll find valuable.

One of my students took this exact approach with local service businesses she admired. At a networking event, she ended up chatting with the owner of a five-location salon. She casually explained how she helps companies grow—and walked out with a client that same day.

Want help defining your offer before you start reaching out? That’s exactly what we do inside the Consulting Offer Accelerator. Your Dream 100 is powerful—but only when you’re clear on what you're offering them.

Strategy #2: Create Win-Win Referral Relationships

Let’s talk about something most new consultants overlook: partnerships.

When I was building my business, some of my best clients came not from direct marketing, but from other professionals who served the same audience—fractional CFOs, operations consultants, even copywriters.

Here’s why this works: Referred clients trust you more, convert faster, and stick around longer.

But here's the key: These partnerships work best when they’re truly win-win. That means no spammy DMs or awkward pitches. It’s about collaboration, not competition.

Build Your Referral Network:

• Identify 3–5 complementary service providers in your niche.

• Reach out with curiosity, not an ask. Get to know them. See where your work overlaps.

• Refer first. Share their name when it makes sense. Reciprocity builds fast.

If a fractional CFO tells their client, “Hey, your margins would improve if you tightened up your marketing—let me introduce you to someone” guess who they call? You.

I wrote a book called Win-Win all about creating a referral ecosystem that feeds your business consistently.

Strategy #3: Start Local, Think Big

Here’s a myth I need to bust: “Consulting is only for corporate giants or Fortune 500s.”

Not true.

There is a huge underserved market right in your backyard—small to midsize businesses that desperately need support but aren’t getting the attention of the big firms.

And these businesses?
They have real budgets. Real teams. And real problems you can help solve.

When I had a brick-and-mortar business, I would’ve LOVED to work with someone who could help me find the “hidden opportunities” in my business. But I didn’t even know that kind of support existed.

Here’s how to tap into this overlooked market:

Land Local Clients:

• Make a short list of 5–10 local businesses that could benefit from your services.

• Create a bite-sized “foot-in-the-door” offer. This could be a growth audit, 90-minute strategy session, or lead generation review.

• Show up in person. Attend chamber events, co-working space mixers, or host your own mini-workshop.

One of my students used this exact approach. She booked multiple clients after hosting a local open house for her consultancy—even though her business is 100% virtual.

Local doesn't mean limiting. It means leveraging what’s already around you.

The Secret That Makes Everything Easier: Your Offer

Before I wrap this up, I need to say one more thing…

If your offer is unclear, too vague, or not positioned around real results—it doesn’t matter how many strategies you try.

When your offer is so good it sells itself, you don’t need a script. You don’t need a funnel. You can just have a real conversation, and the right-fit client will say, “Oh my gosh, I’ve been looking for someone like you.”

I’ve seen it happen time and time again inside my community.

That’s what I teach inside the Consulting Offer Accelerator: how to build a high-value offer that’s an easy yes for the clients you’re meant to serve.

What’s Next: Start Here, Start Now

Let’s recap the 3 smart strategies to help you get consulting clients (even if you're brand new):

1. Dream 100 – Focus on the right people, not more people.

2. Win-Win Relationships – Build partnerships that feed your business for years.

3. Local Outreach – Your next client might be down the street, not across the country.

Here’s what I want you to remember:
You don’t have to hustle harder. You just need a smarter path—and this is it.

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I’m Laura, a growth strategist and mentor to consultants.

As a serial entrepreneur who has scaled multiple six-and seve-figure online and offline companies over the last twenty years, I can genuinely say that consulting is the best industry I’ve ever been in. Not only does it give me the freedom to spend time with my family and do the things I love (hello, tennis!), but working alongside world-changing entrepreneurs on their business strategies is one of the most rewarding roles I’ve had as an entrepreneur. This is a blog where I share my secrets of how to become an in-demand consultant.

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