#2: Build Your LinkedIn Profile
Because consultants are in the B2B (business-to-business) arena, LinkedIn is the place to spend most of your time. Connect with people you used to work with, and then start connecting with their networks.
Join groups related to your industry, and participate in the LinkedIn Answers section on a daily basis. Answer any question you can find. Try to be one of the first, and give thorough, thoughtful answers.
Finally, ask past colleagues and clients to write referrals for you. Because potential clients and referral partners are going to be looking at your profile to find out whether they should work with you, you need to make sure people have said plenty of nice things about you.