Landing a big-name client can give you the biggest breakthrough It will also separate you from other consultants in your niche. Before you know it, large clients will begin to hire you for consulting. You should control what people see and read about you. Don't just monitor what people are saying.
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- 10 Ways Independent Consultants Can “Wow” Their Clients
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- 1. Think Right-Side Up
- Good to Know: Why Companies Really Hire Consultants
Consultants tend to make consulting about themselves and it's evident in their marketing materials, pitches, and even their approach to projects. Consultants who think Right-Side Up use their client's preferred communication method and style, not their own.
10 Ways Independent Consultants Can “Wow” Their Clients
Their proposals focus on the client's problem and outcome, not the consultant's methodology. Their marketing materials speak about their clients' issues, situations, and aspirations, not what makes the consultant great. They even turn down projects if it would be in the best interest of the client. Fields contends that most consultants who lack clients believe they have a visibility problem, when in fact, most of those consultants have an impact problem. They're in front of enough prospects, but those prospects don't care about what the consultant is offering.
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In contrast, successful consultants focus on issues the clients are aware of and urgently want to solve. Amazingly, many consultants offer solutions they believe are important, without ever checking the market need. Once you have impact, visibility is critical. More awareness leads to more prospects, more clients, and more revenue. There are five specific marketing musts a consultant should employ, which have proven most effective for winning clients; writing, speaking, trade associations, digital presence, and networking. Surprisingly, the quest to differentiate, which is a mainstay of marketing, is a misguided effort for consulting firms.
According to Fields, "Clients aren't looking for different.
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They're looking for reliable, credible solutions to their problems. Focus on creating, nurturing, and leveraging relationships. Fields counters the common requests consultants use to try to get introductions, "Who do you know who could use my services?
Additionally, Fields suggests making your visibility-building efforts interactive. For instance, when giving a speech, ask listeners to write down their response to a question, then ask members of the audience to stand up when you describe the response matching what they wrote.
The trick to becoming the consultant that clients value above all others can be summarized in a single word: Through the process of discovery, the consultant learns the client's desires, hopes, requirements, and fears better than any competitor--perhaps better than the client himself. He suggests using a carefully constructed context discussion with power questions that build trust and uncover crucial information.
Preaching patience can be difficult, and there needs to be a mutual understanding that certain deliverables may take a considerable amount of time.
1. Think Right-Side Up
A good example of this is free advice — often offered on a subject matter where the IC is an expert — that can help a client. And, by positioning a client for success, you may be setting yourself up for success too, in the form of a new project!
But you can control your attitude. Those soft skills may just be the nudge above the competition to land the next job.
A strong dialogue and relationship with a customer opens the door to direct, candid feedback. Such feedback can help your business, its operations, and its reputation. Always be ready to listen! Properly identifying and using these customer service tools can only provide benefits to both your business and your clients. A strong understanding of your audience, meeting—and when appropriate, exceeding—demands, and proper communication all play a critical role in being a desirable, dependable independent consultant.
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Good to Know: Why Companies Really Hire Consultants
September 29, Being your own boss has its advantages — like the personal connections you make with your clients. Set Realistic Expectations But Go Above And Beyond Where Possible Customers have an expectation of what they will receive from you, as well as when and how those expectations must be met.
- 10 Ways Independent Consultants Can “Wow” Their Clients | MBO Partners?
- 2. Maximize Impact;
- Good to Know: Why Companies Really Hire Consultants.
- They Want an Outside Eye;
Continue Learning Through Feedback A strong dialogue and relationship with a customer opens the door to direct, candid feedback. You may also enjoy