Monthly Archives: November 2016

Sales Step # 2 – Qualification…

There are two simple goals in this sales step:

  • Can YOU help?
  • Can THEY buy?

It is just as important to disqualify as it is to qualify. Your time is valuable, and you don’t want to waste it chasing low probability leads.

We already touched briefly on the first goal in Sales Step #1.

Now you need to dig a bit deeper. At this point, you are not trying to solve the problem, but rather to make a quick assessment.

As already mentioned, don’t be afraid to turn business away. If it out of your area of expertise, it may be better to refer to someone else.

On the other hand, don’t be afraid to stretch yourself.  You can back fill with books, colleagues, or an on-line search. This is also how you grow your experience bank account.

So ask more questions. You want to probe deeper.

Here are some typical questions/answers from my own engineering consulting business:

  • What is the problem? (Equipment malfunctions.)
  • How does it manifest itself? (System resets or hangs up.)
  • Any idea why it happens? (Not sure, but we suspect a power glitch.)
  • How often does it occur? (About once a month)
  • How bad is it? (The power supply once caught fire. Ouch!)
  • How much is it costing you? ($10,000 every time it fails. Double Ouch!)
  • Anything else? (Yes, a major customer is pissed. Triple ouch!)

Assuming you can help, you now know the situation is critical, and the problem is expensive. Since it is intermittent, it may not be super urgent, and it may also be a challenge to isolate.

If you are a business consultant, your questions will be different, but you still want to determine if you can help your client, how much it “hurts”, and how urgent things are.

Now that you have qualified YOURSELF, you are ready to qualify the CLIENT.

Are they willing and able to buy your services?

So probe some more. Here are three client qualifying questions I use:

— Schedule? When do you want to proceed? (Can you come yesterday? If you get this answer, close the deal!)

— Budget? Offer a budgetary estimate. The client is usually dying to know anyway. Don’t ask “How much do you have to spend?” as is sounds manipulative.

In situations like this, I usually quote 4-5 days of time, with the stipulation that the budget will not be exceeded, and that if the problem is still not resoled, we’ll mutually decide on the next step. The latter is like exploratory surgery — we may not know how bad things are (or are not) until we dig deeper.

Give a single number (a not-to-exceed, like $10K..) Don’t be vague or quote a range — the client will assume the lower number.  And never ask for an open checkbook.

— Quote? Offer a quotation. We’ll discuss quotations in more detail later. But at this point in the process, you want to know how serious the client is about fixing the problem.

If they say yes, proceed with the sales process. But don’t quote yet — rather gather more information. The quote should be a summary of what you both agree needs to be done.

If they are reluctant, ask why. But don’t be pushy, and don’t waste a lot of time trying to “overcome objections.” It is OK, however, to ask why several times. Doing so often uncovers the real reason for reluctance.

Offer to follow up if they need to “discuss with the boss.” While some “sales experts” suggest you should only talk with the final buyers, the boss often delegates the initial search to a subordinate. (Very common in the technical world.)

So be polite — while this person may not be able to approve, they can often disapprove. Also, this may be the person with whom you will work.

Assuming you have not disqualified yourself or your client, you are now ready to move on to Sales Step #3 – Diagnose & Prescribe.

P.S. Don’t fret if you disqualify. As a professional, your time is valuable and there is never enough of it. You need to focus on the opportunities with the best chances of sales success.

© 2016 – 2019, https:. All rights reserved.

A Thanksgiving Day Rant…

Time for a rant. This post was precipitated by a hate inspired event in my hometown – no doubt a direct result of the recent election.

Last week, fellow AZ blogger Pam Slim was a victim. READ HERE. It sickens me.

Then I asked myself why?   

Some say the election was economic backlash, but I don’t buy that. Maybe for some in the Rust Belt, but that doesn’t explain the rest of the country – particularly the affluent suburbs and the more prosperous rural states. No, something else is going on.

We live in one of the richest countries in the world, in one of the richest times in history. Ours is the land of opportunity – if you are willing to pursue it.  But you must be willing to work for it yourself – not blame others – particularly those different from you!

Maybe the reasons lie here. Too many people want “jobs”, but they don’t want to work. Or they live beyond their means, and suffer the consequences. Rather than take responsibility, they want to blame others for their failures. 

So when a demagogue comes along and tells them what they want to hear (not what they need to hear), they rally behind him. History tells us the same thing has happened before.

Sadly, this give rise to violence. Acts of hate are way up. Swastikas appear on churches and synagogues. White school children taunt their immigrant playmates. Little kids playing soccer hurl insults they don’t even understand to people they don’t even know.

But let’s be positive. What can WE do? As Pam put it, we can combat the hate with love and compassion.

  • We can work together to build community, as she and her Navajo husband Darryl are doing in Mesa with K’e, a place of kinship to nurture small businesses – and souls. Bravo, Darryl and Pam!
  • We can teach our children (and grandchildren) to show compassion. To love, not hate. To respect each other, and treasure our differences – not exploit them.
  • We can teach our children (and grandchildren) to show gratitude for what they have. To be satisfied –not constantly wanting more, and more, and more. To appreciate what is enough.
  • Finally, we can create our own success (consulting or otherwise) if we are simply willing to try… to work hard… to share… and to care.

So as you sit down to Thanksgiving dinner this year, forget the narcissistic jerks. Rather, give thanks for those in our communities who DO care!

Peace — Uncle Daryl

P.S. Sorry –I promised myself I wouldn’t go political, but the incident with Pam Slim was too much. Now, back to our regular programming…

© 2016 – 2020, https:. All rights reserved.

Sales Step # 1 – Establish Rapport…

Time to revisit Uncle Daryl’s “Seven Steps of Selling” and to expand upon them.

Yes, I know — you want to be a consultant — a revered oracle — not a peddler. Sharing all your wisdom, and being paid handsomely for it.

All you need to do is hang out your shingle, right?

Wrong, of course. You need customers. Paying customers. And enough paying customers to pay the bills. Because consulting is a BUSINESS, and business means SELLING.

As a wise mentor once said, “If you don’t have customers, you don’t have a business…”

So first you market. You create the necessary visibility and credibility for your services in the market place. You strategize. You define your markets. You generate leads. (Check here for twenty ideas on leads.) But you are still not selling.

Sooner or later you will need to actually TALK to a prospective client. That is when the sales process begins! And often the fear — usually the fear of the unknown.

But selling is simply a process you can learn. Like riding a bike, or playing the piano. Don’t expect to be an immediate expert, but with practice you can hold your own. And you will get better with time — I promise.

It all begins with establishing rapport. Here are some thoughts:

  • Relax, and smile. Even if you are on the phone. It will calm you.
  • Ask about their problem. Think like a doctor when he/she says, “What brings you in today?”
  • Listen carefully, and ask for more details. “Can you fill me in? How does the problem manifest itself? How long has this been going on? What else is going on?”
  • After you have enough preliminary details, simply say “That sounds like something we might help with.”

Assuming, of course, you CAN help. If not, you may want to refer the person to someone else. Don’t worry – they will appreciate you candor and will likely call you again based on the trust you just created.

Before proceeding further, ask how they heard about you. That give you some insight into the trust level.

If a referral, the trust level is already high. Ditto an article or talk. If simply a web search, additional reassurance may be needed.

Such as, “We’ve solve similar problems for others.” But don’t share specific client details, lest you raise concerns about protecting their confidentiality.

Next, ask if they have worked with a consultant before. This gives you some insight into their experience with consultants. If YES, simply proceed. If NO, more reassurance may be needed.

In either case, potential clients often have two fears:

  • Can you help them? Done right, you have already initially reassured them.
  • Can you work together? This is why a pleasant demeanor is so important. As the old saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Note that Step #1 takes but a few minutes. The focus is on asking questions.

This is NOT time to go into a sales pitch, or to talk about how smart and capable you are. Rather, it is all about the client. Think like a doctor, not a used car salesman.

At this point, you are ready for Sales Step #2 – Qualifying. This is where you dig deeper, to see if you truly can help, and to see if they can buy your services. To be covered in a subsequent post.

P.S. Like many of you, I once feared selling.  But after I jumped in (first as a Sales Engineer, and later as a consultant) I came to enjoy the process.

The best part is that as a consultant, you are usually talking to friendly colleagues in the first place – and helping them solve their problems and/or improve their lives.

© 2016 – 2020, https:. All rights reserved.

A special invitation to women…in the age of Trump…

This post was inspired by “A Letter to Young Women, in the Age of Trump”. Very well said, but sadly, too many comments by trolls reflected the bullying Trump mentality.

One piece of advice she offered:

Think about starting your own thing.

This is what’s exciting; we have the ability to start our own businesses today, in a way we didn’t in the past. Why not take our marbles to our own playgrounds and build great businesses and cultures?

Our mothers couldn’t do this because the cost was so high – but the costs of everything-about-starting-a-business, including technology, people (i.e., freelancers), real estate (co-working spaces) and support services are coming down.

And then no one can relegate you to the less-interesting jobs.

So I want to extend a personal invitation to any woman reading my blog.

Please know you are most WELCOME here, and most WELCOME to join the independent consulting ranks. In fact, many of you already have. Some examples:

  • Pamela Slim(pamelaslim.com) /Successful consultant, author, speaker, and advocate for small business (and of of my favorite people in the world.)
  • Lynn Rausch – Successful nutrition consultant to the Native American communities in Arizona (started in retirement, but now fully retired.)
  • Susan Baier -(www.audienceaudit.com) – Successful market research firm, and the organizer of Laid Off Camp Phoenix. (Hope to feature Susan here soon.)
  • Joanna Hill – (JPHill, LLC) Newly minted engineering consultant. She attended my consulting talk in Ottawa, and we met again last night met at a professional meeting. (Her shingle is out… she has business… congratulations Joanna!)

A common thread among most of these successful businesswomen was not being recognized and appreciated for their contributions. So they took matters into their own hands, and build successful practices. Way.To.Go!

Nothing like the revenge of sweet success.  And it drives the “losers” nuts.

I understand those feelings. Although a guy, more than once I felt the same way. I did deal with some bullying, but at least I wasn’t battling sexual harassment.

So if consulting might be your gig (check out the GIG economy), join us here as I ramp back up. Everyone is welcome — regardless of gender, race, religion, nationality, sexual preference, or ???

As it should be. After all, as consultants we should be working to make the world a better place. In the age of Trumpism, we will need to work even harder!

P.S. To my two granddaughters –You Go Girls!–To my four grandsons–You Go Boys!–And to all six of you– be kind to everyone– and NEVER be a bully!

© 2016 – 2017, https:. All rights reserved.

How big is the GIG economy???

Bigger than you think. According to a recent study by McKinsey & Company, between 20-30% of the working population in the US and Europe are free lancers (doing gigs.)

That translates to over 160 million people. Not too shabby, I’d say.

Rather than wade through the 148 page study, check out this latest post at Consultants Mind, a favorite blog of mine on consulting.

Although aimed at management consultants in both large and small firms, I find this blog well written and useful for solo-professionals too (including us technical consultants.)

To distill the data even more, here are some key points from the blog post:

  • Most consultants CHOOSE to work independently. More than 70% surveyed do so because the want to — not because they have too. This group is happier too — no great surprise.
  • One in six traditional workers say they would like to go independent. But many don’t because they lack the ideas, ambition, or grit. (If you have the ambition and grit, stick around and I’ll help you with ideas…)
  • Digital platforms enable freelance work. Thanks to the Internet and computers, it is easier than ever today to start and run a consulting business — from anywhere in the world. But you do need to develop your on-line presence to make this work.
  • This is NOT new. According to the author, 100 years ago 45% of the population was self-employed. As small farmers in rural Nebraska, all my grandparents and great-grandparents fell into that category. Furthermore, the author predicts the percentages will rise again in the next century.

The author was pretty critical of the original McKinsey report, saying the 148 page report was about 100 pages too long. He’s right – brevity is always better.

So save yourself some time and hop over here for more details.

Finally, the author challenges “retirees, students, and caregivers” to jump back into the economy – even if partially. If consulting is YOUR gig, follow me at JumpToConsulting and I’ll share my ideas on how to make your jump.

Consulting is a great life for those who choose it. I’m glad I chose it almost 40 years ago!

© 2016, https:. All rights reserved.

Don’t cut your fees… cut the scope…

Sooner or later you will be asked to cut your fees. The reason may be legitimate (budget constraints) or your client may just be testing you (particularly if you are new.)

Either way, do NOT cut your fees. Rather, cut the scope…

  • If the budget is truly limited, this may salvage the project and allow you to still help your client, albeit in a more limited fashion.
  • If you are being tested, it sends a message that there is no “fat” in your proposal. This testing tactic is quite common with purchasing agents, who are tasked to get the “best deal” for their employer.

Don’t fret about doing this, and NEVER buy the business. Your time is better spent finding a client who is willing and happy to pay for your services.

This is the voice of experience speaking. Prior to consulting, I was a sales engineer for ten years. On two occasions I spent considerable time to round up “demo” equipment at substantial discounts for some “needy” customers.

Both turned out to be very poor customers, demanding extra support and hand holding while grousing all the time. Not a good deal.

As a result, this lesson was learned prior to starting my consulting firm. Good clients appreciate your value, and are willing to pay for it. If they don’t, move on.

Another example. I once put together a proposal for an overseas training project, which involved several extra tasks. Upon submission, the purchasing agent asked for a reduction, so I asked for a target price. Based on that, I revised the proposal – no small task in itself.

The purchasing agent’s response was, “We like the new price but we still want everything in the original proposal.” My response was to withdraw the proposal. I no longer felt comfortable working with the client.

I found out later that the engineering manager who initiated the project was unhappy — but not with me. Apparently this purchasing agent had done this to other consultants. While I didn’t like losing the business, at that point I felt justified in my action.

The best part was some good business came in, which I would have passed up had I gone with the bad business. Karma anyone?

Finally, the late Howard Shenson advised setting your fee at the minimum amount you would accept. That way there is no fat, and if you lose the business, you don’t end up second guessing yourself. Good advice – I’ve followed it for years!  

P.S. Now back in Arizona, and hope to be posting again on a regular schedule. It was the “Lost Summer” with my sister-in-law. Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease.

© 2016, https:. All rights reserved.