For your consulting firm to win a consulting engagement, your prospect must explicitly have a Need and also must strongly Want to address their need. Sometimes, though, a client misunderstands their Need and, as a result they Want the wrong project. What should you do in those cases? Consider the following four scenarios, all of … The post Want vs. Need – Which is Right for Successful Consulting Firms? appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more

If a prospect declines your project (or pushes you to lower the fees in your proposal) because the prospect’s company is facing undeniable economic pressure, you could respond in notably different ways. Let’s say your consulting firm has been wooing Dunn Wenbrok, CEO of the healthcare magazine Sick Times. A project seems likely, but when … The post Consulting Prospect Says “No” Because Their Business is Down: Two Opposing Responses appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more

Consulting is a great profession. However, occasionally consulting can be decidedly un-fun. A total bummer. When that happens, it’s time to turn to the tips outlined below. My colleagues and I frequently hear tales of woe from consulting firm leaders. Down days caused by revenue slumps, rejected proposals, engagements that head south, and even clients … The post Rough Day, Month or Year? How to Overcome the Consulting Blues appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more

Your consulting firm’s great work generates repeat clients and, ideally, word-of-mouth referrals to new clients. However, if you want more inbound inquiries from prospects, it’s time to power up your consulting firm’s marketing efforts. Most consulting firms’ marketing is of the 120-volt variety: enough power to keep the lights on (except in Europe), but not … The post How to Make Your Consulting Firm’s Marketing Vastly More Effective appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more

One of my early mentors in consulting used to have a saying about winning consulting projects: “Fifty percent of sure-things actually happen.” If you’ve led your consulting firm for any period of time, you’ve experienced the Yes that somehow turns into a No. It’s a phenomenon you can avoid, though. A ways back, a seasoned … The post 3 “No”s to Look for When Pursuing Consulting Projects appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more

The “real world” and consulting best practices occasionally diverge. One example is divisiveness. All around us, people decry divisiveness and hateful rhetoric while, in the US at least, many of those same people dish out ad hominem attacks and demeaning language. From a consulting standpoint, does deriding or disdainful rhetoric matter for your firm and, … The post Playing Along vs. Playing Nice. A Common Misstep that Could be Costing Your Consulting Firm appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more

Imagine if there were a simple trick you could apply to all of your consulting firm’s marketing efforts to make them far more productive. Such a marketing enhancement does exist. Implementing this tweak will lead to more inquiries from prospective clients. Better yet, even though the marketing tactic in question is eschewed by most other … The post This Marketing “Hack” Will Power Your Consulting Firm’s Growth appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more

You can make your consulting firm more attractive to clients. In addition to your experience and expertise, (which are both crucial, of course), there are at least seven easy, tactical, practical practices that will make it more likely clients will discuss engagements with you and hire your firm. 7 Easy Practices to Make More Clients … The post 7 Easy Practices to Make More Clients Choose Your Consulting Firm appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more

Asking questions is core to your consulting firm’s approach to winning business and delivering value. Could you ask questions better (and ask better questions)? Absolutely. For most adults, inquiry is a route to information. For teenagers, questions are a rhetorical way to emphasize their point. For toddlers, questions serve to drive their parents batty. For … The post 7 Inquiry Guidelines Your Consulting Firm Must Master appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more

Common wisdom says your consulting firm should offer value in order to attract clients. What if that common wisdom is not only wrong, but backwards? You’ve probably encountered advice that consultants should only reach out to prospects when they have a compelling, useful tidbit to offer. For example, an article or white paper, your new … The post Offering Value Is Actually Bad for Your Consulting Business! Here’s Why appeared first on David A. Fields Consulting Group ..read more