Getting Started in Consulting, Third Edition

Chapter 4. Marketing 101: Creating a Market Gravity for Your Business

Consulting services are not a cold call sale. Think about this long and hard before you spend money on someone's audio series, seminar, or "fail-safe cold call system." Buyers no more would purchase from someone calling them from out of the blue than you would send a check to the smarmy securities salesperson who calls you at home at 8:30 in the evening and says, "Alan, how are you? This is John Smith from XYZ Investments and I was given your name by a mutual friend. . . ."

Buyers must be attracted to you. That might sound counterintuitive, but it makes the difference between your beating the bushes trying to sell a commodity, and dealing with a buyer on a peer-level, collaborative basis. The buying psychology is 180 degrees different when you are sought out, rather than attempting to ingratiate yourself with a buyer.

When you pursue someone, they have the right to demand to know how good you are, who says so, and what kind of "toe in the water" might be an appropriate test. When the prospect pursues you, they are solely interested in how quickly you can help them, credibility is already established, and fee is not an issue. (You don't haggle over price with the Bentley dealer.)

The gravitational pull has many spokes to it, some of which can wait until you're more firmly established, more confident, and wealthier. (See Figure 4.1.) But you should begin the marketing gravity as soon as you decide to go into the profession. ...