We all know dogs can smell fear. What you may not realise is that people can as well. And we can sense fear’s close cousin, desperation.
The desperation that comes when you suddenly realise your last consulting gig is finishing and you’ve got nothing in the pipeline.
It’s a scary place to be. This is the solution…
Transcript
Hi, this is Rashid Kotwal.
We all know dogs can smell fear. What you may not realise is that people can as well. And we can sense fear’s close cousin, desperation.
The desperation that comes when you suddenly realise your last consulting gig is finishing and you’ve got nothing in the pipeline.
It’s a scary place to be.
And it’s a scenario faced by all too many consultants, be they solo professionals or small to mid-sized firms. It’s just a matter of degree.
So when this happens you madly scramble looking for the next deal. But it’s not that easy.
For one thing, people buy when they’re ready, not when you need to make a sale. So there could be a considerable lag between first contact and closing a deal – if you close it at all.
As you’re watching this, pause the video and ask yourself how long it takes on average between first contact and closing a deal. Is it weeks, months or even years? And how many people do you have to filter through for each good deal? Go on, pause. I’ll wait.
You’re back? How did you go? What are your timeframes? Bit scary?
Not having a full pipeline leads to prospects sensing your desperation. They’ll either run a mile or beat you down on price.
And you’re likely to take on clients who aren’t a good fit, just because you need the money.
Contrast this with having a full pipeline of quality prospects.
First of all you’ll be in a completely different head space. You’ll be in the enviable position of being able to pick and choose who you want to work with.
Being in demand builds your business posture. Your confidence and self-worth soars. And you can charge premium prices knowing that even if some people don’t come on board, there are plenty more waiting in the wings.
And as you move up the value ladder, if existing clients aren’t a completely good fit, you can gently move them on.
Having worked with us for a number of years, most of our clients are in exactly this position.
They have a full book of clients with a waiting list. Some screen potential clients who actually pay for the privilege knowing that the screening process is value in itself.
Others turn the marketing tap on or off depending on their own capacity to deliver value while maintaining exacting standards.
All of this begs the question as to how you go about getting a full prospect pipeline.
First you need to shift mindsets. Your mindset must become one of being a marketer first rather than just focusing on delivery.
Ergo, you must live and breathe marketing.
Granted, that’s not always easy, especially if you love consulting.
At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, that’s why it’s so important to engage mentors.
We’ve helped hundreds of professional consultants focus on what brings in the business, implement marketing and sales systems that attract, engage and convert a predictable stream of good quality clients on demand.
Remember, being great at what you do isn’t enough. You have to be able to communicate that message to your ideal audience and get them to take action, which is hiring you.
So if you’d like to get help work with us and contact me at revealedresources.com. Until next time, this is Rashid Kotwal.
