Time to begin a new series… on marketing… the last in the triad of “getting business.” The other two elements are generating leads and making sales. Like the legs of a stool, all three are equally important. Don’t overcomplicate things. Getting business is much like going fishing. There are three simple steps: Marketing – Decide what […]
When dealing with individuals or small companies, an Engagement Letter may make more sense than submitting a formal quotation. It also makes it easy for the client to buy – no purchase order is needed – just sign the letter. For this reason, Engagement Letters are widely used by attorneys and accountants. Such was the approach I […]
Time for a financial rant – based on a recent news article. One of the first things to do upon making your JumpToConsulting is to set up a retirement account. Trust me — years later you will be glad you did. I am! According to a recent on-line article by CNBC, about half of US […]
Referrals are the life blood of professional services. Think about it — what do you do if you need a lawyer, doctor, accountant, or other professional? You get a referral! So make this the last step of your sales process (along with your lead generation process.) What better time to request a referral than when […]
Don’t neglect this step! Making a second sale (or third or…) is always easier than making the first sale. You are now someone your client knows, likes, and trusts. So how do you do this? Pretty easy. Here are some suggestions: – Phone calls – A week or two after the consultation, call to check. […]
In traditional sales, step # 4 is the final step. Once you get the purchase order or signed contract, your job as a salesperson is complete. Of course, you follow up with customers to make sure they are happy, but its time to move on to the next sale. (We’ll address that for consultants in […]
The next step is to ask for the order! This is also known in the sales world as closing. This is where many consultants fall down, due to fear of rejection. You are not alone – even full time sales people don’t like rejection. But they face it and deal with it – one reason […]
Now that you have qualified the prospective client, you are ready to provide a preliminary diagnosis and prescription. The goal is not to actually solve the problem, but to create the desire to have you help. You want to reinforce your credibility, while suggesting a course of action. Here are three theoretical examples: A doctor […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Recently did a half hour interview on writing magazine articles, on of my favorite (and successful) marketing methods. The interviewer was Michael Katz, the founder/owner of Blue Penguin Development, a one man firm that teaches solo professionals how to better market their practices. Earlier this year, Michael formed the Blue Penguin Content Club. For $9.95/month, […]
As the “featured guest” of the Blue Penguin next Tuesday (August 23, 2016). I’ll be sharing insights on writing articles to build your credibility/visibility as a consultant. Join the Blue Penguin Content Club, and you can catch the session too. Click here. Way back in 2013 I wrote about the Blue Penguin and the Likeable […]
If you are attending the IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) in Ottawa next week, you are invited to join me for this live presentation on Friday morning. My talk is part of a career workshop (EMC Consultant’s Toolkit) where four of us share advice on consulting with our engineering colleagues. Mine is the […]
The industry magazine “InCompliance” just published my article “So You Want To Be A Consultant’? The article addresses the four key questions I’m often asked about consulting: How Do You Get Clients? How Do You Decide What To Charge? How Do You Decide What To Consult About? How Do I Get Started? The article coincides […]
This question arrived today from a friend and engineering consulting colleague. Once in a while a company will request a “General Liability” insurance certificate. Hi Daryl, I’ve run into this requirement (client insurance) a handful of times. Most companies don’t ask for it, but some are asking to be named on my insurance policy. Do […]
So is Uncle Daryl retired, semi-retired, or what? Yea, I’ve been confused too, but I finally figured it out. I’m retired three weeks out of every four. One of the beauties of running your own consulting firm is no mandatory retirement date. And when you do retire, you don’t need to come to a complete […]
This post was inspired by “Fear and Loathing in Sales” at Trusted Advisor. The author addresses the irrational fear that professionals often have about selling. I once shared that fear. But realizing that if I wanted to be in business for myself, I needed to overcome that fear – or at least get some experience. […]
This post was inspired by a 2011 post by Pam Slim (Avatars, Ecosystems, and Watering Holes), where she discusses creating you own healthy business ecosystem. But what happens when an ecosystem collapses? Most people panic, but a few recognize the opportunities — often excellent for starting a consulting practice. Scientists tell us every major extinction […]
