29 Aralık 2017 Cuma

Outsourcing is reality: Of top 20 global companies, 5 are outsourcers

This is shocking because it shows the extent to which outsourcing is no longer a trend, but just a simple, fat reality. Fact. The days of Hershey, PA life-time employment are long-dead. Labor has become so specialized (read: Adam Smith talk) that there is a company willing to take that repetitive process off of your… Read More »

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27 Aralık 2017 Çarşamba

Good is predictable, great varies

Managers assume too much. We get busy and think to ourselves, “I have seen this problem before, I know what to do, why don’t you get it?”  We (falsely) assume junior consultants should know what we know.  Silly bias.  As result, expectations can be high. It is management consulting, right? Exceed expectations. We work with the best… Read More »

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24 Aralık 2017 Pazar

WSJ: UPS accountants delivering packages

In the WSJ today, learned that UPS encourages / asks its office workers to help sort and deliver packages during the holiday delivery rush here. Quotes from WSJ article in blue italics. UPS normally has “ready teams,” or office workers that help to sort, load or deliver packages, that it sends out to clear problem spots throughout… Read More »

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21 Aralık 2017 Perşembe

Personal Holiday Season Message For You

Can you believe another year has almost come to an end?!

I’ve had a lot to reflect on this year…

My step-father Barry passed away from Alzheimer’s.

Two young kids in our extended family have been dealing with illness, including one suddenly diagnosed with Cancer.

I look at the energy and life my daughter Rei has each day and this really puts things in perspective.

All of this continues to strengthen my belief of the importance to cherish every moment we have.

Several years ago I intentionally chose to live life by focusing on creating positive memories.

When I’m  making a decision, I ask myself, will this be something I will feel good about, be excited about, and appreciate, not just now, but years down the road. This mindset has served me well.

On the business front it has been an incredible year.

In fact, it’s been our most successful year as a company.

  • We re-launched the Consulting Success Podcast (http://ift.tt/2p4lv8O).
  • My new book, The Elite Consulting Mind, became a Best Seller (http://ift.tt/2Dlwmy2).
  • Our coaching program for consultants committed to growing their businesses continues to create incredible success stories. Working with our clients in this program is a real honor and we love to see the results and transformation they experience (http://ift.tt/2fNkA8O).

Most of our clients become clients by simply reaching out to us. So if you know any consultants looking to grow their business feel free to make the introduction and let us know.

We have big plans for 2018. A few new projects we are very excited to bring to life and share with our community and clients.

I always find this to be a special time of year. A time to reflect and appreciate all that we’ve experienced over the last 12 months. And a wonderful time to plan specific goals that we’re excited to realize in the year ahead.

From all of us here at ConsultingSuccess.com, and from my family to yours, I want to wish you a very happy holidays.

My very best and wishing you a year of health, happiness and success.

Michael Zipursky
ConsultingSuccess.com

 

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20 Aralık 2017 Çarşamba

What is management consulting?

Management Consulting. It’s a lot of things. It is an industry; we all know McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PWC, and others. It is a profession built on asking good questions. It is a team sport. It is a bit of an attitude. It is a tribe that is difficult to get into. It is a set… Read More »

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18 Aralık 2017 Pazartesi

Consulting Sales Systems That Work for Introverts with Bob Burg: Podcast #16

Transform your failures into success in no time by implementing sales systems that will work for you.

Description:

Bob Burg is a sought-after speaker at company leadership and sales conferences around the world. He has shared the platform with everyone from seasoned business leaders and broadcast personalities to a former U.S. president. He is the author of numerous books, and the best-seller that he is best known for is The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea, which he co-authored with John David Mann. Their book has sold over half a million copies, has recently been re-released and translated into 21 languages. On this session of the Consulting Success Podcast, we dive into the story of this unsuccessful journalist who transformed into a powerful author and speaker. We examine powerful sales systems and how to make them will work for you, why you have to embrace the ‘nos,’ and the advantage that having people skills will give you over the competition. Whether you’re an introvert who resists sales and marketing or an extrovert who needs to learn how to be a better listener, you won’t want to miss the time-tested tips and systems from the author who speaks, Bob Burg.

From Failing Journalist to Successful Speaker

Before becoming a world-renowned author and speaker, Bob Burg worked in broadcasting. He started out as a sports broadcaster for a local radio station, then landed a spot as a TV news broadcaster. He enjoyed the job but wasn’t very good at it simply because he wasn’t interested in journalism. Without a passion for journalism, he knew he needed to make a career change and graduated into sales. The challenge he then faced was a lack of knowledge about sales.  Despite his willingness to put himself out there and make connections with people, he wasn’t finding much success. On a serendipitous day 35 years ago, he wandered into a bookstore and found himself in the sales teaching department, surrounded by the works of Tom Hopkins and Zig Ziglar. After just a few weeks of studying and implementing their ideas, Bob’s sales went through the roof.

After years of failure, it seemed improbable that Bob could find success in such a short time.  But by simply applying the information he learned from these sales masters, Bob had discovered a successful system that worked. By implementing this new system, he was prepared for success. He shares the simple and essential role that systems can have on the success of any work you do. He defines a system as the process of predictably achieving a goal based on a logical and specific set-up. Predictability is the key — it’s been proven that by doing “A” you will get the desired results of “B.”  As long as you are willing to continue to do “A,” you will continue to see the results you want in “B.”

After discovering this methodology, Bob immersed himself in the study of sales and personal development and the applied that information to his approach to sales. He worked his way up to sales manager and began teaching people his methods, but that was just the launching point of his success.

Miserable Salesman To Successful Speaker

I was a bit dubious about Bob’s ability to turn around his sales work in just a matter of weeks, but you have to hear how it worked for him. While telling his story, he explains how simply having a system in place was the key to his transformation from failure to success.

An entrepreneur at heart, Bob recognized and capitalized on the opportunity to become an independent speaker. It was at this point that he discovered (again) that having a system in place would offer him greater success. Bob joined the National Speakers Association and by expanding his network and surrounding himself with experienced mentors, Bob learned how to market himself, grow his business, and sell his speaking services.

He appears to be a natural speaker, but Bob likens his work to that of a “decent athlete.” Just as truly successful athletes work very, very hard at becoming the best, Bob has put countless hours into learning from others in order to become the best speaker he can be. In the early stages of his speaking career, Bob offered hundreds of free speaking engagements, each one helping him to hone his craft and perfect his skills. Still today, he continues to watch other successful speakers and learn as much as he can from them. The work he has put into becoming the best hasn’t been easy, but Bob has proven that it does pay off.

How People Skills Play Into Success

Just as the masterminds Zig Ziglar and Tom Hopkins explained before him, sales is all about asking questions — discovering what a person really needs and what they want. As a successful consultant, you have to focus on the needs of your client and highlight the ways you can create value for them. The first and great mistake that too many consultants make is asking clients to listen to you talk about yourself, your products or your methodology. It may be interesting information, but that is not what clients are interested in. They want to answer the engaging questions that you are asking about them. This is a mistake that Bob says he sees consultants make far too often, simply because it is natural to want to talk about ourselves. But no matter how much you believe in your products and service, and no matter how exceptional the value you may be able to bring to your clients, talking about yourself is very ineffective. Clients who know that you understand their needs and problems will become the clients that are seeking your expertise.

By having a system in place for handling and moving on from each no, you are positioning yourself for greater success and more “yeses” in your future.

The ability to show genuine interest in others is the differentiating factor between people who enjoy a moderate and an enormous amount of success. Technical understanding and skills are absolutely essential, but they are just the entry fee for getting into the game. People skills make up the real difference. Bob believes that the absolute best skill that you can have is a well-developed and authentic interest in other people. As you’ve most likely seen in your work, people know when someone is genuinely interested in them and when they are simply interested in what’s in their wallet. By developing genuine people skills you can gain the advantage and win the trust of potential clients.

Do introverts make better salespeople?

Even though he regularly places himself in front of large audiences, Bob considers himself an introvert. He believes that introverts make better salespeople because they are more willing to listen — they exhibit greater people skills. Unless an extrovert is willing to stop talking, they won’t be able to show the same genuine interest in their clients that an introvert does. I often hear consultants say that they are uncomfortable with sales and marketing, but that doesn’t have to be a defeating characteristic. You don’t have to hide behind your introverted tendencies —  you can use your unwillingness to talk about yourself to your advantage when gaining the trust and confidence of your clients.

Becoming a Writer

As a writer of many successful business books, Bob is somewhat of an expert on the importance of becoming a published author. Authoring a book puts you in a better position — it gives you the authority in your marketplace that allows you to charge higher fees for your speaking engagements. That may seem like common knowledge today, but in the 90s when Bob decided to give it a try, writing a book was a less common approach to success. At the time, he simply considered himself a speaker who wrote books, but the Go-Giver series changed that approach as he began to share his stories. Over time Bob began viewing himself as a writer who speaks.

He used his earlier books as simple and effective outbound marketing tools, but when he started telling stories in the Go-Giver series, he began being approached by companies that had read his books and wanted to bring him in for a speaking engagement. In our conversation, he shares how he used his earlier books, including Endless Referrals, as marketing tools, how his books helped him connect with companies, and why all of that changed after he wrote the Go-Giver series. If you’ve ever considered writing a book to help increase your authority and credibility in your field, you will be inspired as you listen to Bob’s story.

Understanding the Value of the Nos

Amidst the work that Bob was doing to promote his work and his book, he was faced with a lot of rejections. Like most consultants, he needed to find a way to get through the rejections to move on to the successes. Bob recommends reading Go For No — Yes is the Destination, No Is How You Get There to better understand the value of all the “nos” that you are undoubtedly going to hear while seeking new clients and projects. Of course, no one really likes hearing “no,” but Bob explains that by understanding that “no” is part of the process, and that by accepting the “nos,” you are essentially preparing yourself for tomorrow’s highly anticipated “yes.”

Once you recognize that the “nos” are going to keep coming, you need to have a game plan — another system — in place. You need to decide what you’re going to do when you hear another no — how are you going to follow up with the person that has rejected you? How will you know when it’s no longer worth following up with that person? By having a system in place for handling and moving on from each no, you are positioning yourself for greater success and more “yeses” in your future.

Value Comes Before Money

If you’re in the thick of growing your business, you’re probably looking for ways to grow your revenue and sales. In the middle of this, you have to focus on creating real value for your customers, rather than just completing another transaction. That may be hard to understand, and if so, you need to listen to Bob’s reasoning of why the mind-shift from more money to better value is an essential one.

Rather than waiting for clients to reach out to you, find ways to put yourself out into the marketplace. Put content into the marketplace by way of online articles or regular blog posts. That makes it easier for clients to understand who you are and what you have to offer.

We know that money received is a direct result of value provided, but focusing on the value doesn’t mean give away yourself away for free. Instead, it is critical to communicate the value that people will receive by doing business with you. Until your potential clients can understand the value they will receive from you, they won’t be giving you their money. You can change that by explaining your value to them in a way that will make them want to do business with you. Once they understand your value, clients will understand how they will be better off by doing business with you.

In my experience, I have seen that many consultants find it easy to provide value but difficult to make a clear offer. Bob offers several solutions for this problem. Rather than waiting for clients to reach out to you, find ways to put yourself out into the marketplace. Put content into the marketplace by way of online articles or regular blog posts. That makes it easier for clients to understand who you are and what you have to offer. You can also bring clients to you by directing them to your website for additional content. Some people may claim that outbound connections such as phone calls or newsletters are no longer necessary, but Bob disagrees. He explains why and how those connections can create greater success for you, regardless of the size of your business.

You won’t want to miss these tips as well as the new and upcoming opportunities that Bob is working on, including the Go-Giver Sales Academy online course, where successful consultants like you can learn more about creating the business you’ve been dreaming of. You can hear more about it as well as how to connect with Bob on this episode of the Consulting Success Podcast.

Key Takeaways:

[:19] Meeting Bob Burg, the writer who speaks.
[3:56] The secret behind Bob’s transformation from misery to success.
[5:04] How to avoid the mistake of talking about yourself.
[8:14] The work that turned Bob into a successful speaker.
[9:59] Why people skills make the difference in real success.
[12:00] The introvert advantage in sales.
[14:11] Why and how Bob became a writer who speaks.
[20:34] Dealing with the seemingly endless nos.
[22:55] Providing value makes the money part come easily.
[28:51] How Bob scales his business for success.
[31:00] Connecting with Bob Burg.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Bob Burg
The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea, by Bob Burg ?and John David Mann
Tom Hopkins
Zig Ziglar
National Speakers Association
Endless Referrals, by Bob Burg
The Go-Giver Leader: A Little Story About What Matters Most in Business, by Bob Burg ?and John David Mann
Go-Givers Sell More, by Bob Burg and John David Mann
Go For No — Yes is the Destination, No Is How You Get There, by Richard Fenton ?and Andrea Waltz
Go-Giver Sales Academy

Tweetables:

“Ask questions — selling means discovering what that person really needs.” — Bob Burg

 

“It’s a lot of work, but if it’s something you love you’re willing to do it.”  — Bob Burg

 

“The best skill you can have is a well-developed and authentic interest in the other person.”   — Bob Burg

 

“You don’t have to enjoy the “nos,” you just have to understand that it’s all part of it.” — Bob Burg

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15 Aralık 2017 Cuma

Kevin Kelly: Inevitable Technology Trends #1 and #2

Started reading The Inevitable: 12 Technological Forces that Will Shape Our Future (affiliate link).  I am only on page 83, and I have already bought 9 copies for friends. It’s written by Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired magazine, and does an amazing job of explaining what artificial intelligence (AI) is, what it is becoming, and… Read More »

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11 Aralık 2017 Pazartesi

Proven 4 Stage Consulting Project Process: Video

Transcript:

We’re going to talk about how to develop a consulting engagement process. There’s many different ways to go about this, but I want to introduce you to one that is very straightforward yet very powerful. It’s a way that you can start to think about how to deliver your consulting services with a lot more structure.

That structure is not only beneficial for you — because it’s easier for you to start to really not only delegate aspects of the work, but organize really how you deliver, what other people can do, what you should be doing — but you also get a lot more clarity around actually having a process, knowing that when you do this, then next you do that. You can work through it.

The other benefit of this is that as you develop a process that is very clear and straightforward, you’re able to start to see ways to scale it, to scale your consulting business up, to scale the delivery up. That’s very beneficial, because it allows you to run in a much more efficient way and also much more profitable. But the other reason why this is really beneficial is because clients like to see that you have a process.

They want to know that you’re not just doing things off of the seat of your pants, but that you’re bringing a process or a way that you’ve engaged with others and now you’re going to be taking them through.

But giving them that ability to say, “Hey, let’s take a break,” or, “I don’t want to move forward,” helps a lot of them with risk reversal. You’re reversing the risk.

So having a process like one I’m going to share with you developed, that you can use not only for the benefit of your business but to also explain to prospective buyers and clients, is really, really powerful. That’s what we’re going to get into right now.

There’s four parts to creating this process. Let’s just say this is part number one. This is what we call assess. Now, what you’re doing when you are in the assess phase is you’re starting off and you’re assessing the situation.

This is what we often call the discovery offer.

But it’s the first step to really understand what is going on in your client’s organization, what the opportunities are, the threats are, what can be done. It gives you clarity as to how to best move forward through the next stages of the process.

The outcome, the deliverable from this, is really that you are going to put together a high-level plan. And so this would include your recommendations. That’s kind of what the output is from this.

Now, buyers love this because they get a sense of where things are at. The benefit for them, and for you as well when you’re selling it, is that when you have this, when you give them some recommendations, high-level, like, Here’s what I see.

Here’s the next steps, it means that you’re not saying to them, “Hey, this is going to be $100,000 project. We’re going to get into it right away if they invest $100,000 and we’ll kind of figure things out as we go along.” No. Step one of the process is to assess.

That gives you a lot more clarity. That gives the client some recommendations. Then, you can adjust the rest of your service delivery based on what you find here, so you can ensure that it’s much more efficient and effective.

Now, each part of this process can be sold individually, so one after the other. Meaning that … Let’s say your buyer comes in. They start with you at stage number one, they kind of go through the assess phase. If for some reason they decide they don’t want to move forward after that, that’s okay.

Give them that choice, because the reality is most will want to continue working through, because they won’t get all the benefits unless they go through every stage of the process. But giving them that ability to say, “Hey, let’s take a break,” or, “I don’t want to move forward,” helps a lot of them with risk reversal. You’re reversing the risk.

They have a lot less hesitation because they feel like they have much more power in controlling how the process can go, which they can, right? They get to choose. But it works out beneficially for both parties.

Now, the second phase of the process here is what we’d call plan. You might be saying, “Well, you just said plan here. What’s the difference?” The difference is that this is going to be a detailed plan.

This is a detailed plan. This is what they get from this. Think strategic recommendations. Think step by step. In assess, it’s high-level recommendations and a very high-level plan of what should come next. You actually say, “Okay. We’ve done this initial assessment.

Here’s what we know we need to do. Here’s what has to happen for there to be success in this project.” Well, now you actually get into developing the specific, strategic, step-by-step plan of what’s going to happen next.

Next is what we’d call implementation or you can just say implement for short, this is where you actually now take the strategic recommendations from Plan and implement them here. Now, depending on how you structure your service offer, you may be the one actually doing the implementation.

You don’t just put something in place and then you’re finished forever, right? There’s always going to be ways to refine, to improve, to optimize, to make better and better, and so that’s what optimization is all about.

But if you’re like most consultants, you will be guiding or advising the recommendation, so working with the team or the leadership or whoever it is to actually implement upon the recommendation that you develop during your strategic plan.

The final phase here, which is phase four … Which a lot of people don’t often think about, yet it’s really powerful … is what we call … I’m going to write it right here … optimize. If you think about your work, like any work where people are trying to improve performance or trying to make some kind of game, it’s not …

You don’t just put something in place and then you’re finished forever, right? There’s always going to be ways to refine, to improve, to optimize, to make better and better, and so that’s what optimization is all about.

Even though you’ve now implemented upon the initial plan, what’s going to happen is as you implement, you’re going to get some data. You’re going to get feedback from the marketplace or whatever you’re implementing and you’ll know,

Okay. Here’s how we improve, these are the measures of … We’ve hit these levels of success. But it doesn’t mean that you’re done. There’s still going to be more work to do if you want to continue improving upon that or ensuring that you maintain that level of improvement. And so that’s where optimize comes in.

Implement, the output is implementation. In optimize, really what you’re delivering could be things like coaching …

Let’s say ongoing coaching or training. It might be even mentorship. It could be working with teams. There’s a lot of different ways that you can deliver on optimize. But this is usually ongoing or for a set period of longer-term time.

But the other thing with optimize is that in some cases, depending on the size of the project, the project …

Even though this may be the four phases that make up your process, you may find that you’re going kind of back again and working into other areas of the organization or working further, deeper and deeper, along the project lines that you’ve already begun.

Those are the four … One, two, three, four … phases — assess, plan, implement or implementation, and optimize — that you want to work through.

There’s variations to them. Some people might have five or six steps to their overall process, but this is really the base that you can build on.

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10 Aralık 2017 Pazar

Tuckman: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing

This is a classic framework that Professor Bruce Tuckman developed in the 1960s that describes how groups operate. It’s a linear process that all groups go through to some extent. Forming (people join the team), Storming (often there can be differences in work styles), Norming (group reaches agreement on goals, and mutual accountability), Performing (real… Read More »

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4 Aralık 2017 Pazartesi

Leadership quotations: Eisenhower, Roosevelt, Lincoln

This week I thought a lot about leadership and ran across these leadership quotations. . . What is leadership? “Leadership is influence” – John Maxwell “Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.”  – Dwight D. Eisenhower Is leadership inherited or learned?… Read More »

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From Door to Door Salesman to International Leadership Consulting with John Murphy: Podcast #15

If the top of the CEO ladder doesn’t satisfy like you hoped it would, it’s time to create your own consulting success.

Description:

John Murphy is the man behind John Murphy International, a France-based business that is focused on helping global companies create winning teams. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, John started his business in Ireland 13 years ago and moved to the south of France after realizing that one of the great perks of consulting was that he could base his business anywhere.

Prior to starting his business, John was climbing the ladder in the corporate world.  He began as a door-to-door salesman, and progressed to sales manager, sales director, and eventually marketing director before becoming a CEO for a finance company. During this time he recognized that, while the corporate world had been very good to him, the view from the top wasn’t exactly what he thought it was going to be.

Although the leap from the corporate world to independent consulting seems like a daunting one, John says it was made easier because he felt compelled to take the leap. We talk about making the leap, the best place to find clients, and the greatest key to business development growth on the episode of the Consulting Success Podcast with John Murphy.

Taking the Leap

The corporate world is a secure place to enjoy a career, but for CEOs like John, taking the leap away from the corporate world and into the unknown may be a move that you simply have to make. After working your way to the top, you, like John, may find that there is more you can accomplish with your skills and talents. Two years before he started his own company, John felt that he needed to step away from his secure place in the corporate world and try something new.

Even if there is nothing fundamentally wrong with your current company or organization, many consultants feel at some point that they simply don’t want to remain someone else’s employee indefinitely. John felt that desire to ‘create something for himself.’ He wanted something beyond what the corporate world has to offer, and after a period of time, John Murphy International was born. If you’ve ever felt compelled to leave your successful corporate job and create something new, you’ll want to hear John’s story. Although it seems counterintuitive, he was even willing to leave his job even before his new company was in place and in our conversation he shares why.

Finding Clients in Surprising Places

Once John Murphy International was established, John needed to find clients. It was at this point when he received a very relevant piece of advice from a friend, who said, “You won’t get business in the places you think you will, and you will get business in very surprising places.” He found out that that was exactly true, and after placing a huge number of sales calls, he secured some of his first work with Johnson & Johnson. His approach was not exactly a scientific one — by simply placing as many calls as he could and asking people if they could recommend him to anyone else, he landed the client that he was looking for.

It may sound too good to be true, but we dug deep into the ways that John found his first clients — 50% of the people that he worked with in the first year were people that he’d never worked with before, and I really wanted to hear John explanation of how that was possible. Many consultants are uncomfortable making the calls, reaching out to potential clients, and doing the follow-up that is necessary for acquiring new work, but, as I’ve said many times before, that is the most essential step to getting more work. John’s story proves what I’ve said to be true — you have to be willing to get out there and make the connections in order to get the work you’ve been dreaming of. By simply increasing the volume of calls, emails, or connections you make, you will be able to secure the work you’ve been seeking.

Don’t Take Your Foot Off the Accelerator

Simply reaching out to a prospective client once just isn’t good enough. Too many consultants slow their efforts down when they start to feel comfortable with where their company is at, but the minute that you take your foot off the accelerator, you are going to lose the momentum that you’ve worked so hard to build up in your company. On the other hand, if you are willing to make phone call after phone call, email after email, or connection after connection, then you are going to achieve consulting success. John started out 13 years ago, but he says that the methods for securing clients haven’t really changed that much over the years. A consultant who is willing to do the work is going to be a successful consultant.

Earning Your Referrals

Referrals come easily when you’re doing good work for your clients. That is the first and key step to getting more referrals for more work. If you maintain the mindset that you are always going to add value to the client that you’re working with, and always do your best work, then you will create a business that clients want to do more business with. The better work you do, and the better you know the company that you’re working for, the easier the referrals will come. John has many insights into the ways that your contributions can add value to any company that you’re working for, starting with looking for opportunities to refer yourself over to various departments within the company. That’s his first suggestion, but be sure to listen for the other ways that you can find and earn referrals with every client you work with.

The Key to Business Development Growth

Often we think of obtaining new clients as the best and only way to grow a business, but in my conversation with John, we unearth the reasons why that mentality is wrong. You won’t want to miss the great discussion we have about the importance of business development growth within the companies that you are already doing business with. These are the companies that you’ve already invested your time and skills in, and by deepening your understanding and relationship with these companies, you’re creating greater value for the company and for yourself.

Before you think about going after new clients, ask yourself what opportunities are available within current or previous clients that you should consider first. Find out where the company is growing and shrinking, opening and closing, reorganizing, restructuring and investing, then use that information to become a more informed advisor to the company and to create more consulting work for yourself. There are undoubtedly already needs within the company that you’re currently working with — taking advantage of the work where you’ve already established a relationship means working smarter and finding more success for yourself.

Grow Your Consulting Business from Anywhere

One of the greatest benefits of being a consultant is the ability to base your business from anywhere in the world. When John realized that he was getting into a bit of a consulting rut in Ireland, he moved his business to the south of France to shake things up. By making a physical change he was inspired to shift his business focus and grow his business the ways he needed to. There were definitely trade-offs that had to be made by moving to another country, but his determination to making this virtual business model work drove him to succeed. The risk was worth the reward as not only did he not lose any clients, he was able to strengthen the working relationship that he had in place with his existing clients. To hear more about how this shift enabled John to grow his business in the ways he wanted, you’ll have to listen to our conversation.

Don’t Be Afraid to Challenge Your Clients

Too often clients resist the suggestions made to them by brilliant and effective consultants like you because they are used to the way things have always been. If you’ve faced rejection from a client — whether it’s your pricing model, how you approach work, or where you are working from — don’t be afraid to push back and remind them why they should put their trust in your new ideas. You can never forget — there is a reason you are the consultant. If you can convince your clients to try new things, you will add value to their business and to the work that you’re doing for them. This approach has worked for John, it’s worked for me, and it can work for you — if you are willing to take the risk.

Stay On Top of Your Game — Two Ways

Staying at the top of your game is essential when perfecting your consulting business. In our conversation, John shares two key ways that he has been able to stay focused on his work.  First, remember that a business is a dynamic thing — it’s always changing and growing. If you constantly examine how you are growing and changing with your business, you will be motivated to tweak and change your business to be its best as it grows. Trying new things means that you’re giving the best business possible to your current clients as well as the clients that you will get in the future.

Second, find a mentor. Working by yourself may lull you into a comfortable state while working with a mentor who will challenge you to become more than you currently are is key to staying on top of your game. I’ve worked with John for a number of years, and he shares how the mastermind group that we’ve created has improved his approach to work. He says being challenged has kept him fresh, and he explains why. You’ll want to hear what has worked for him and more, all on this episode of the Consulting Success Podcast with John Murphy.

Key Takeaways:

[:15] Introducing John Murphy, former CEO who felt compelled to leave the corporate world.

[5:58] You may find clients in unexpected places.

[10:35] Discomfort comes with reaching out.

[13:05] Factors that play into getting a good stream of referrals.

[17:13] The smarter approach to business development growth.

[18:15] Working remotely may force you to improve business.

[23:32] Push back when your ideas are rejected.

[25:10] Stay at the top of your game by doing these two things.

Mentioned in This Episode:

John Murphy International

Tweetables:

“The journey was great, but the destination wasn’t everything I thought it was going to be.”  — John Murphy

 

“The world needs another consultant like it needs a hole in the head… but there’s always room for a good one.”  — John Murphy

 

“You’re only going to get referrals if you’re doing excellent work with the clients that you’re working with.”  — John Murphy

 

“The more you know about an organization, the more you can help them.” — John Murphy

 

“There’s a reason you became a consultant.” — Michael Zipursky

 

From Door to Door Salesman to International Leadership Consulting with John Murphy: Podcast #15 is a post from: Consulting Success



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