5 uncomfortable sales truths most consultants spend their careers avoiding.

5 uncomfortable sales truths most consultants spend their careers avoiding:




1/ Rejection is part of the sales process, it's not a personal failure.

I remember presenting a case study of our work with a client. Unfortunately my prospect thought this particular client's achievements were ineffective and unimpressive. With hindsight it was a poor choice because it turns out my client and prospect had “history”..

That taught me to choose my examples more thoughtfully.

2/ Clients don't want consulting, they want project outcomes

Here's why it takes consultants so long to learn this truth:

• They invest heavily on preparing and delivering detailed pitches

• They think process and method is more convincing than impact.

• They underestimate pragmatic solutions over analysis.

Avoid this trap.

3/ Generating word-of-mouth leads is daily work (not spasmodic)

It's easy to stay top-of-mind by regularly briefing clients, influencers, and other referral-sources with useful industry insights.

Face it: Reaching out keeps you at the forefront of opportunities.

4/ Most “selling” happens when you're not in the room.

— If you educate clients then you'll influence buy-in.
— If you bring a useful perspective, then you'll be seen as a thinking partner.
— If you develop a solid business case with clients you'll enable decisions.

Choose wisely.

5/ Most consultants think if you're good at what you do, clients will automatically come to you.

In reality, it's flipped:

Effective selling is the crucial component of consulting success.

Your client relationships tell your story.