Here are four pricing rules I shared as a comment a Blue Penguin Marketing, a favorite blog I follow. –Always set your fees to make a profit — that way you can’t go broke –Never cut fees — cut scope instead –Don’t be greedy — a happy client will often come back for more –If […]
Here is a blunt but polite way to handle this common objection to moving ahead with a consulting project, from my friends at the Rain Group. It is called “Get a Reality Check.” “Most of the time I when hear, ‘Let me think about it,’ what people really mean is ‘No thanks.’ Can you tell […]
Is sales a dirty word to you? Does it strike fear to pick up the phone and talk to a stranger? And do you need to sell in the first place? After all, as a consultant, the world should simply recognize your expertise, right? The answer to the last question — WRONG! And if you are […]
If you are a consulting firm, consider adding training to your services… if you are a training firm, consider adding consulting. There is a strong synergy between the two. I recently enrolled in a course on how to develop on-line training classes. Two goals: JumpToConsulting – Develop a multi-module course for newbies (or choose just […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 is for my fellow geeks. It was inspired by a recent post at LinkedIn Pulse titled “Do You Buy Like an Engineer? Probably Not.” The author points out that many A/E/C (architectural/engineering/construction) firms stumble in their sales efforts when they assume their clients think just like them. If the client is another engineer, […]
Want some quick insight and exposure into a market? Offer to buy a vendor lunch. After all, they spend their lives out in the marketplace. This is particularly effective in niche markets. You have identified your potential niches, right? If not, review this post. A new consulting colleague in Phoenix did this with good success. […]
The lead generation worked… the phone rings… now what? Let the sales process begin… This is where the rubber meets the road — or where the consultant finally meets the client. Many people see sales as mysterious at best, and manipulative at worst. Neither are true for selling consulting services. Consulting is a helping profession… […]
The tough part is making it a success. Recently ran across a blog post on business startups. The author suggested consulting, since it was so easy that anybody could do it. Of course, the author had never started and run a full time consulting practice himself. Go figure. So, time for a short rant… But […]
When you finally make client contact (marketing becomes sales), you often need simple stuff you can hand out or mail – business cards, brochures, folders, letterhead, envelopes, labels, etc. Since these create first impressions of your business, they should be an integral part of your sales and marketing process. These items are often referred to […]
An important sales lesson … As a brand new sales engineer, I was on my way to meet with meet with an important prospect. Fresh out of training, I was ready to dazzle and amaze them with all sorts of technical details about our new test system. Fortunately, I struck up a conversation with my […]
