May 20, 2012

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Consultants – Get Ready for Facebook Timeline

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I usually try to write something in my Saturday blog on how to get clients or to increase a sales skill.  This week is a bit off that subject because Facebook is on my mind.  The new Timeline format is something I've tried to ignore by going into my Scarlett O'Hara impersonation -
 
"I won't think about it now,
I'll think about it tomorrow, when I can stand it."
 
I know I'm dating myself with this reference.  You have to be a Gone With the Wind fan to know what I'm talking about.
 
My webmaster and my Virtual Assistant have teamed up to make me finally take action.  Timeline is coming whether I want to embrace this change or not.  We're all getting switched my the end of March or sooner. If you're already on Timeline – yeah for you for being less change resistant than me.
 
In reviewing the Privacy Settings in Facebook this week with my wonderful VA Heather Hinson, I was amazed at how many different sections there are.  I'm not sure I ever really paid much attention to this area.  So I thought it might be helpful to provide a guide with suggestions on how to review and set your settings.  We've created the Consultants Gold Nuggets of Wisdom – Facebook Privacy guide for you – whether you've changed to Timeline or not.
 
It's short and simple, just like I need with my limited time and attention span. I hope you find it helpful.  As always, I love to hear from you and would love if you'd share your comments below.
 
To Your Success!
 
 
 
 
 
 
PS:  If you haven't done it already, please "Like" Consultants Gold - and tell your friends.  Thanks!
 
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Get MAD When You Prospect for Clients

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After my Saturday blog about Put Your Business in Drive, Consultants Gold member Karen Carleton of Performance Solutions Corp in Alberta Canada wrote me to share another acronym. I loved it so much I asked if I could share it with you.  I've added to it so apologies Karen if I've taken some poetic license as I elaborate on your idea.
 
She is looking for MAD prospects – and she is right on.  She's looking for clients who have:
 
1.  Money to buy.  So what if they love us and what we do.  If they don't have the money to pay us, they really aren't a prospect – they're a charity.
 
2.  Authority to buy. I've spent too much time with people who
can't say yes — they can only say no.  Part of qualifying
prospects is you are talking with someone who can make the decision to say yes.  Notice I didn't say they have a budget – I said they have money.  If your tires have worn tread, you didn't have a budget for new tires.  But you buy them because you need them.  So don't get hung up on asking if they have a budget. 
 
3. Desire to work with me.  This desire comes from two things – a trust in what I do and the value I offer them.  It also comes from an acceptance they have a problem/challenge and are willing to take action to change where they are.
 
So, like Karen, I challenge you to get MAD when prospecting for clients.  Thanks again Karen for the great idea.
 
I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas on these prospecting
topics – or other ideas you may have – in the comments section below.
 
To Your Success!
 
 
 
 
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Networking to Attract Business – Not Make a Sale

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I have ramped up my networking activity (I went to 3 networking events this week alone) in an attempt to meet my goal of finding 100 new prospects by the end of March. My favorite was a speed networking event.  If you've not attended one, you are matched with a person who talks for 2 minutes.  Then a bell rings and you talk for 2 minutes.  The next time the bell rings, one of you moves over a chair and the process starts again with a new person.
 
I was pumped!  I love to network and I suspect I left with more opportunities than most of the people in the room. Why?  Because I understand that I am there to meet people, learn more about them and set the expectation in their minds that I plan to call them shortly to continue our initial conversation.
 
I had a clear objective and went looking for 3 categories of prospects:
  1. Sales managers or executives with more than 3 sales people.
  2. Key people in any business with 20 or more employees.
  3. Possible referral partners – people who worked with #1 and/or #2 and those who appeared to be well connected in our town.

I didn't go to sell anyone.  I never talked about what I did or how I did it.  Because people didn't move when they were supposed to, we often cut into that first 2 minutes just changing seats.  By the time the second bell rang, the other person was just warming up and continued right into my time.  I didn't care … I continued to let them talk to better determine if they fit into my 3 categories above. The results?

I left with 18 quality client prospects or referral partner prospects in a little over an hour.  I've written thank you notes to all of them and set 4 appointments for the next 2 weeks.
 
Key learning points:
  1. Know what you are looking for when you network.
  2. Ask questions that will help qualify them as prospects rather than try to sell them on the spot.
  3. Tell them you plan to call them for an appointment in the near future.
  4. Follow-up immediately.

If networking is a challenge for you, I'm planning a Networking Tele-Clinic in the near future.  Click here to email me if you're interested in knowing more.

 
I would also love to have you share some of your networking successes or nightmares (we've all had them too!) in the comments section below.
 
To Your Success!
 
 
 
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Consultants – Put Your Business in DRIVE

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When we talk to prospects, we tend to talk too much about what we DO as consultants. The most successful consultants I know do lots of listening and are good at
explaining how they can help prospects get to the better place they seek. Prospects don't care HOW I do things and usually not what I've done for other clients. After all, most prospects think their situation is unique.
 
My clients care about one thing. How can I help them solve a problem they have? How will I help them capitalize on an opportunity that is important to them or their business success?
 
If you need to rev up a bit and want to attract more new clients, consider my DRIVE method.

  • Discover – Put on your learning hat. This is where the rapport begins. You build trust with the prospect, and create forward motion in the sales cycle by asking "needs" questions. Using active listening (I make notes to help me remember, as well as keep myself from talking too much) to better hear and understand their pain points.
  • Review – Restate what they shared with you to make sure you heard their concerns correctly. Sometimes I find the first thing they share with me is the tip of the iceberg.  When I repeat back what I heard, and ask "Is this your most pressing issue or concern?", I can get additional information – or a new direction than where I thought we were going. You want to confirm that you really know what frustrates them or makes them lose sleep at night.
  • Inquire – Ask the prospect questions such as "What would happen if we fixed this?" or "What would it mean if this wasn't a concern any more?"  Get them thinking about how they could be in a different place. We all can get get stuck and feel like there's no way to change it or fix it. It's exciting to consider being in a better place.
  • Value – What is it you do that will take them to that better place?  What is the value you bring to clients – and can you paint that picture? Show them where they're be and the steps (not solutions) that you'll use to take them there.
  • Engage – It's time to ask for the business – and get them to commit to working with you.  The conversation often doesn't go there naturally – prospects rarely jump up and exclaim "I want to hire you!"  Try asking a question like "What has to happen for us to begin working together?" or "What is our next step?"  Get some form of forward action instead of leaving it in limbo and saying something like "I'll call you next week to see what you think."

Give it a try … and I'd love to hear back from you in the comments section below.

To Your Success!
 
 
 
 
Filed Under: Blog - Tips & Tools For Consultants, General Tips

Consultants – Change Your World

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Many people admired Steve Jobs' presentation style. His ability to inspire others – to dream, to imagine, to see the possibilities. If we could do that with prospects, how great would that be? If others who knew us could "see" what we are trying to do to help clients, would our word-of-mouth marketing and referrals increase?
 
I often listen to TEDTalks. Created in 1984, it is a non-profit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading in the areas of Technology, Entertainment and Design.
 
I recently watched Nancy Duarte (CEO of an internationally known design firm that has created a quarter of a million presentations) talk on The Secret Structure of Great Talks.
 
I found her ideas and comments fascinating. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here's her comments in a nutshell. You've started your presentation or conversation and it appears to going well – dynamic, flowing and energetic. But sometimes after we talk a bit – we flatline with our prospect.  We can see we are not engaging. We walk away from our talk or appointment with no action being taken – especially to hire us for our services.
 
Nancy became fascinated with stories and storytelling – and the diagram they would look like. After several years of study she wondered, "if presentations had a shape, what would that shape be? And how do the greatest communicators use that shape – or do they use a shape?" One Saturday it came to her and she "drew a shape".

If her shape was real, then looking at two great presentations, Steve Jobs (2007 IPhone launch speech) and Dr. Martin Luther King (I Have a Dream speech), would they follow her shape? They DID!

Starting with what is and alternating with what could be (possibilities – and the bigger the gap, the more it makes the status quo or current normal unappealing). It ends with the new bliss or new norm.

I highly encourage you to listen to her talk and learn more about what this diagram means.  She challenged me to go change my world. If you do listen, I'd love to hear your thoughts – and how you might use this when making presentations to a group, or even in your sales conversations with prospects.

Here's the link for her talk ==> http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks.html

I'll leave you with her final words – "The future isn't a place you'll go.  It's a place you'll create."  So go change YOUR world and create some great sales conversations with prospects about, not what you DO, but the difference between what is in their business and what could be – with you.
 
To Your Success!
 
 
 
 
Filed Under: Blog - Tips & Tools For Consultants, General Tips

Ways to Grow Your Consulting Business

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I've been thinking about the mindset I have with prospects – and how I can do better with existing clients. (After all, it takes 6 times more effort and money to get a new client than it does to get more business from an existing one.) Sometimes I am not as attentive to current clients as I am to new prospects I am trying to win – and that is dangerous.  So I'm working to keep these 5 ideas in my marketing and servicing mindset: 

1.  Talk to them
Treat them like you did when you were "courting them" to be clients. 

  • Follow up calls
  • Needs conversations
  • Asking questions to continue to learn more about their business

Sometimes (like friends), we take existing clients for granted.  But competitors are hungry to meet them and to talk to them.

2.  Are there issues you never discuss?
If you limit your conversations to a specific area of expertise, you may be limiting their perception of you.  The one service you provide may make them assume that is all you do – when you can offer many other services or solutions.

3.  Bring them new ideas and resources – without them asking for it.
 Do clients (and prospects you are trying to win)see you as a source of ideas and new thinking? It’s even more valuable if you provide a resource that relates to a previous conversation or issue they’ve mentioned. An article or weblink for example – it shows you were listening, understand their needs and care about their business.

We are often advised to specialize and develop an expertise in one area. (Don’t specialist make more than generalists?) When the economy is tough, you may need to widen your net a bit.

4.  Earn your way into their business.
 All clients and prospects are looking for a competitive advantage – more so in tough times. Be willing to do more – go out of your way for clients you have and key prospects you are trying to sell.

What can you offer that will give them time and experience with you so they get to know you better and what you have to offer? I know you need to generate revenue, so choose prospects wisely and give them a sense of what it’s like to work with you – before they actually do. My philosophy is I get to decide who’s a client – but they get to decide when.

5.  Try harder than others do.

Remember the old Avis vs. Hertz tag line, “We’re #2 so we try harder?” Not desperate – not needy … hungry for your business. Focus on what is good for clients and prospects – and work hard to get and keep that business.

It takes a lot to get a new client, so once you have them, work very, very hard to keep them.  What ways do you use to retain your consulting clients?  I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments section below.

I'm trying harder to serve you too, so I need your help. If you haven't completed my short survey yet, I would really appreciate if you would take a few minutes to complete this survey for me.  I'll be reporting the results in future Saturday letters.

To Your Success!
 
 
 
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Revisit Your Prospects’ 2012 Challenges

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In my monthly Teleclass, "Focusing Your Message to Get More Clients", I hear many answers to "What do you do?". (I offer this because I believe we all struggle with our answer at times – myself included.)
 
An important part of this answer should include the key problems or challenges the clients you serve (and seek) face.  If we really know their "pain", especially in their own words, we not only connect with them at a deeper level, we show them we understand their needs. How well do you know the problems your prospects face? Can you describe the challenges they face – from their perspective?
 
Some of my consulting work is with sales managers. Their key problem is finding people who can sell – and keeping them. I'm currently checking if this is still top-of-mind for them by visiting with successful sales managers in my area to test my assumption and make sure their key problems haven't changed for 2012.
 
I'd also like to make sure I have my finger on the things you want and need for 2012.  So I need your help. I have created a short survey and would really appreciate if you would take a few minutes to complete this survey for me.

 
Link: (if you need to cut and paste into your browser)
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BVMGVC3
 
I'll report on the results of the survey and discuss some aspects in future articles. Thanks bunches.

To Your Success!
 
 
 
 
 
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Changing Habits in 2012

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I am very good at being organized … about some things.

I've chaired conferences, planned large parties and managed projects for clients.  But I am also very resistant to the idea of getting my life organized or living with structure.  The free spirit in me avoids having a day planner and to-do lists.  I'm good at meeting deadlines, even if it means I have to stay up all night to do it.

But the last quarter of 2011, I felt a bit out of control or unfocused more often than I liked.  My day was running me rather than me running my day.  Perhaps it is the wisdom of age that has finally gotten me to address it.

Sometimes knowing yourself well means saying "This isn't working for me" – and that is a good thing.  Taking a step back and recognizing that you might be pushing something away that is actually going to help you get where you want to go.

I have big plans for 2012 – with lots of things I want to make happen personally and professionally.  I've been sharing things I'm doing to give myself more direction in hopes it will help you and/or stimulate ideas you will share with the rest of us.

My 2012 goals (to keep me focused) and my 3 words (my template for decisions) are both on a 1 page sheet of paper that hangs in front of me on my desk.  I've added a second sheet – my template for my month.

I have to report – it's been wonderful.  When someone calls and asks "When can you meet?", instead of giving them control of my calendar, I now offer them times available on Wednesday or Thursday – my out in the field days.  Maybe obvious to you but revolutionary to me with the former belief that if I was meeting clients or prospects, it was a good thing, no matter when.

I have exercise, office time, recurring monthly events, days for appointments, follow-up and planning all scheduled into my JAN Calendar Template.  It's only been 3 weeks, but I'm working hard to create this new habit.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas on how you stay focused — or new habits you are working to develop.  Please take a few minutes and share in the comments section below.

To Your Success!
 
 
 
 
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My Three Words for 2012

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A new year always seems to bring a fresh start.  I guess that's why folks create New Year’s resolutions or goals. We begin with motivation and enthusiasm and usually fizzle out – sometimes as soon as the end of January. We find ourselves back in our old habits and the momentum is lost.
 
I love Chris Brogan’s My 3 Words concept - “come up with 3 words that will help you define your goals and experiences for the coming year. In 2012, he’s added an idea from Jacqueline Carly AKA Fitarella.com – 12 in 12.  Twelve things that no matter the outcome, you will look back on the year and be proud that you achieved them.  After the month of action, you decide if you will continue or drop it.
 
Here are my three words that define my 2012 – and one action for 30 days (a great way to create new habits) as a way to execute on the meaning of the three words.

HEALTH – 2011 was the year I ran a consulting business, launched a new business, was a leader in a college ministry and moved my home and business. Something had to give – and it was my health (diet and exercise). 2012 is the year to get that back.
 
SIMPLICITY – I’m a creative optimist who gets excited about many things. I’ve shared before that I like to chase bright shiny objects. In 2012, I plan to choose a few things, stick with them, practice and do them well.
 
STRUCTURE – My motto is often “I don’t need no stickin’ plan” which believe me, is usually NOT the best or easiest way. Here’s where my 12 in 12 begins. For the rest of this month I will retire by midnight and get up by 7:30 am.
 
What are YOUR THREE WORDS? Share as little or as much as you want in the “Comments” box below.
 

To Your Success!
 
 
 
 
 
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CatchFree Helps Independent Consultants Find Free Software

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Catchfree helps independent consultants find free online software solutionsConsultants Gold is a big fan of free apps (that's "applications," in web lingo. And applications is just another word for software programs.) We never put out our hard-earned dollars for software until we've first made sure there isn't a free app that will do what we want. That's why we love CatchFree.

CatchFree Helps Independent Consultants Find Free Software Solutions

CatchFree is a free online tool that makes it easy to compare and choose the best free online solution for your exact needs.If you want an app to help you manage a projects, CatchFree will introduce you to five different online solutions, all free, and help you compare the features so you can decide which one is best for your needs.

The categories included in CatchFree range through "Manage Projects," "Share Files," Text From Your Computer""Build A Website," "Listen To Music" and more. Want to show a client or even your business coach something on your desktop? Look under the category "Share Your Desktop." There's even a section for "Connect To another Person's Computer."

There's literally something for everyone. The service is very easy to use and 100% free, so check it out today.

Here's a screenshot of their homepage interface:

Independent consultants can use CatchFree To find free software

Do you like this free software-finding tool for consultants? Check out the other posts in our Tools For Consultants section that strives to present news about a variety of tools that may help independent consultants manage their business more effectively, leading to greater profitability. Some of the tools we present are free, some offer free trials, some can be had for a donation and some are fee-based.

If you'd like to receive our "Quick Action Tips for Consultants" in your email box, register for FREE in the form at the bottom of this page.

It's just one of the services Consultants Gold provides to help independent consultants get more clients and bank more money by providing advice on client service, practice management, marketing, development of consulting skills and behaviors, and promoting a healthy consulting lifestyle. Click here to learn the benefits of becoming a member of our community.

MATERIAL CONNECTION DISCLOSURE: You should assume that the owner of this site has an affiliate relationship and/or another material connection to the providers of goods and services mentioned in this message and may be compensated when you purchase from a provider. You should always perform due diligence before buying goods or services from anyone via the Internet or offline.

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