SAP Consultants: Promote Thyself

 

By Valeri Wickersham
Director of Human Resources, Optimal Solutions Integration, Inc.

SAP consultants put a lot of time and effort into the standard extracurricular activities necessary to build and sustain a successful career - They keep technical and functional skills up to date, stay abreast of industry news and developments, sharpen enterprise architecture and business process expertise, and keep references fresh and relevant. What many SAP consultants fail to do, however, is creatively and proactively promote themselves within the SAP, IT and business communities.

 

SAP consultants can increase their marketability and name recognition by implementing the following self-promotion strategies:

 

Publish or perish

 

Granted, ‘perish’ may be a bit of an overstatement, but seasoned SAP consultants who have spent time in the trenches possess a wealth of knowledge that can bolster their prestige (and fatten their purse) when exhibited through well-crafted articles published in credible industry publications. Many SAP- , business- and technology-focused publications accept articles from industry experts, provided that the writing is of high quality and the topic is relevant to that publication’s readership. (Most publications detail the submission process and provide writing guidelines on their website.)

 

While authoring an in-depth article or lengthy white paper certainly demonstrates a consultant’s knowledge and insight, many find projects of this grand scope daunting, or simply do not have the necessary time. Alternatively, SAP consultants can make a practice of writing short, tightly focused passages on a continual basis. Keeping a running journal of projects, specific challenges and lessons learned is a good way to do this. With time, these brief passages serve well as fodder for article topics. With a bit of smart editing and polish, they can be fleshed out into concise, helpful articles that have genuine editorial appeal and value. Adding a list of published articles to your resume is a surefire way to achieve distinction in an increasingly crowded market.

 

Blog your way to the top

 

No longer confined to the technology subculture in which it grew up, Web logging (blogging) is going mainstream, gaining traction among C-level execs across all industries. Because specialization or niche expertise lies at the heart of the blogging phenomenon, searching blogs has emerged as a fast and efficient way to gather expert information on a specific topic - say, SAP MDM or upgrading to myERP, for example.

 

By establishing yourself as a thought leader, peers as well as prospective clients will pay greater attention. If you can draw prospective clients into reading and commenting on what you have to say, chances are good that you will be will seen as an attractive candidate when the need for a consultant arises.

 

Blogging is a good way for a talented SAP consultant to espouse his or her views on the latest industry topics, trends and challenges. It also is a great way to demonstrate experience and competency. Above all, actively blogging can seriously increase a consultant’s Web visibility. Google and other search engines reward sites that are updated often, that link to other sites and most importantly, that have many inbound links. Starting a blog can give your website a tremendous boost in ranking.

 

Caveat: In general, blogging is less formal and more conversational than traditional writing. However, consultants are well advised not to slip into IM shorthand, sloppy grammar or less-than-thoughtful commentary, and should always maintain a professional tone and disciplined focus. Remember, whatever you publish remains out there for all to see, so write more from wisdom than on a whim.

 

Take the podium

 

Speaking at industry events confers credibility and generates awareness. To be sure, securing a gig as a keynote speaker at a premier event might be difficult to pull off, but that does not mean all other venues – training events, panel discussions, breakout sessions, etc. – should be ignored.

 

The key here is planning and pitching. Most major events begin filling speaking slots four to six months before the actual event (some even further out). It is imperative to do the requisite homework and learn when an event begins accepting speaking proposals. The second, equally important aspect is to develop a polished abstract or proposal for a focused, compelling on target speaking topic.

 

Speaking at a reputable, well-attended event is great exposure. Having your name printed on all of the marketing materials associated with an event is great publicity. Listing speaking engagements on your resume affords great prestige. Being on a panel with a prospective client - and clearly demonstrating your expertise - is a great first impression and a lasting competitive advantage!