As an independent consultant, you must have a marketing mentality focused on generating new business until you're well established and have more business than you can handle. If you are already a well-established consultant, consider becoming a mentor to a new consultant or do some hiring and teaching.

Independent consulting is an area of work in which expertise in your niche is both expected and required.

Therefore, the first step is to identify a niche in which a clearly identified need exists and one in which you have the expertise to fill. Take inventory of your knowledge, skills, and expertise then zero in on an area in which you want to consult.

Second, review your existing clientele. If you have a recent employer with whom you had a good working relationship and from where you were laid off for financial reasons, explore the possibilities there. Look for businesses in a related field and ask for referrals. And, read help wanted ads, but offer to work as an independent consultant rather than as an employee. You don't need more than two or three assignments to get going.

Third, develop your promotional materials -- brochures, business cards, flyers, and press releases for distribution. However, do not send out your business cards, brochures, and flyers to just any company or organization. Make the contact first either from your referral source, phone calls, etc and then follow up with your mailings. With regards to press releases, decide what you want to announce, make sure it has value to the newspaper's and internet news readers and send it out.

Fourth, develop your website and related blog for your consulting business. Do not concern yourself with paying someone to do this for you. You are an independent consultant. Learn how to do this for yourself. You don't want to depend upon someone else for updating and changing your website and blogs when your business evolves and expands. There are many free options on the internet. Use your research skills and find them. Become self-reliant.

Fifth, on your website, be clear as to what you want your visitors to do. If you want the visitors to call you for a free consultation, make it clear how long it would last. If it's 30 minutes, say so. If it's to subscribe to your newsletter, say so. Make the call to action appealing and worthy of the customer giving you their e-mail address.

And sixth, offer tons of useful and relevant information on your website. This provides a sample of your knowledge and expertise and shows them what they can expect when they decide to do business with you.

Being an independent consultant is challenging and rewarding work. If you are self-reliant and self-motivated, take these six steps and shape your own future.