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 not willing to master some basic sales skills  don’t even bother to hang out your shingle as a solo consultant. Yes, you might make it — I’ve know one or two who have — but the odds are very small that you will succeed without first selling yourself and your capabilities.

Never fear – there are resources out there relevant to consultants. Here are several.

Podcast –  As I did recently, spend thirty minutes listening to a podcast by Anthony Iannarino. Speaker, author, and successful sales leader, Anthony share valuable insights for consultants who are worried about the negative stigma of sales.

Anthony discusses how to embrace sales as a way to help others achieve results they might not achieve on their own. Isn’t that what consulting is all about?  

This podcast is part of a free series from Consulting Success, hosted by Michael Zipursky, a entrepreneur, coach, and founder/CEO of a firm dedicated to helping consultants grow. While his focus is on general management consulting, his firm is still a good resource for professional/technical consultants as well.

Book – When recently asked for a book on sales for consultants, I immediately thought of Rainmaking Conversations by the RAIN Group. Well written, you can learn a lot in a few hours with this book. I’ve reread it several times, even though I consider myself pretty seasoned in sales.

The book outlines a simple process for selling consulting services, which differs from selling products. Also, it eschews old fashioned huckster methods, and advocates acting as a professional advisor. Think like a doctor, not like a used car salesman. 

Here is my review of the book, done back in 2011.

Classes – While there are numerous on-line and live classes on sales, I once again found the RAIN Group useful for consultants. I purchased their on-line version several years, and gained some new insights. It is a bigger investment, and may be more than a newbie might want to make. Worthwhile down the road, but their book will get you started right away.

A great introductory and affordable sales class is from friend, colleague and fellow Arizonan Pamela Slim. I purchased her introductory on-line sales class some years back. Pretty basic, it would be perfect those just starting out in any small business. Not only does Pam address simple techniques, but in her gentle way she also addresses the emotional hurdles of selling.

Blog posts – Here are several posts I’ve done on the subject. These reflect almost forty years of sales and marketing experience — seven years as a Sales Engineer, three years as a Technical Marketer, and thirty years as an independent Consulting Engineer. And I’m still learning…

• Seven Steps in Selling
• Sales Step #1 – Establish Rapport
• Sales Step #2 – Qualification
• Sales Step #3 – Diagnosed Prescribe
• Sales Step #4 – Quote/Propose
• Sales Step #5 – Deliver 
• Sales Step #6 – Follow Up
• Sales Step #7 – Referrals

Finally, check out my recent post “Sales as a Bridge to Consulting” which in turn references a magazine article “Sales Engineering – Is It For You?”

For me, sales is NOT a dirty word, but a learned skill that was crucial to my success as a consultant! 

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