Six Critical Success Factors to Selling Consulting Services

Selling consulting services is different than selling a tangible product. It is often difficult for buyers to understand the services offered and how those services will benefit the buyer or solve a problem. There are relatively few well-known consulting firms that have the instant credibility to break through the sales cycle. Lesser known firms, or individual consultants, are often challenged by lengthy sales gestation periods that sometimes end without the sale.

Here are six critical success factors to selling consulting services that can help cut through the clutter and get new business. We certainly have found them to reduce sales times and improve our conversion rates in our business.

1. Trust Focus on building trust from the earliest point in your relationship with prospects. Prospects are looking for someone that they know will deliver the goods. Smaller assignments that minimize the buyer’s risk but provide a good return are a good place to start and allows you to build trust with the buyer. Many consultants offer diagnostics to identify problems and potential solutions as a starting point.


2. Create a Well Articulated Value Proposition Intangible products like consulting services need extra help in communicating their value. Make sure your marketing communications program is robust and take every opportunity to communicate to the marketplace.


3. Target Decision Makers Match your value proposition to the real decision makers. Who will really respond to your value proposition? If you are offering manufacturing cost savings, a plant manager may be interested but the Division President may be the person ultimately responsible for profit and loss. Many consultants attempt to sell too low in the organization.


4. All Projects Are Not Created Equal Carefully qualify prospective assignments for the best fit with your organization. Can the client clearly articulate objectives and expectations? Has the project been approved and how is it funded? Is your firm interested in the assignment? What are the potential opportunity costs? Who is calling the shots?


5. Communicate! Intangible products like consulting services need extra help in communicating their value. Make sure that your marketing communications program is robust and take every opportunity to communicate to the marketplace. Make your offerings as tangible as possible.


6. Marketing Has No On/Off Switch We are in an era of 24/7 marketing. Prospects will not take notice of your practice unless you continuously promote it.