In the last 25 years, I have been fortunate to land some long-term consulting engagements. My definition of long-term is one year or more. I was the outsider…the hired gun who came in with fresh perspectives and suggested systems I already knew to be effective. The contracts were lucrative. And I enjoyed deeper client relationships that I couldn’t get from a one-off speaking appearance.
Because of that experience, I am often asked, “How can I create my own consulting practice?” First, you must be able to supply credible strategies a client finds valuable enough to support your fee. Secondly, you must be available 24/7/365 to answer questions and provide guidance to an unsure client. Lastly, and most importantly, you must be able to deliver monetized results per the client’s timetable.
I’ve found that many business consultants lose their clients because they get sloppy with all three requisites. But wait, anyone who calls themselves a consultant must be smart, right? Yes, but the contract can become a house of cards if the consultant has weak time management skills. Just because you’re working for yourself doesn’t mean you’re free to fritter the day away as it suits you.
FOUR TIPS TO HELP A CONSULTANT BE MORE VALUABLE TO CLIENTS
1. Establish deadlines with quantifiable outcomes. Consultants have too much flexibility in their schedules. When you aren’t in a formal office your focus can be easily disrupted. If you work from home, distractions come from TV, surfing the net, or raiding the fridge. Force yourself to stay on task by establishing deadlines tied to whatever metrics you and your client have determined to be measurable. Deadlines are comforting to your client (and even better for your own accountability) to “get more work done.”
2. Treat your client relationships as if they are your customers. Consultants are hired to solve problems…to bring in an outsider’s perspective. You often have a ‘seat at the table’ to influence managerial decisions. The client may treat you as someone special who can magically produce results. That kind of elevated status can be a productivity killer for a consultant. I’ve known consultants whose egos made them lazy because they believed the client needs them more than they need the client. Stop! Whoever is paying you is still the customer. You should never take the customer for granted. Productivity is your core brand value. If you let your value erode, another consultant could take your contract and your sweet parking space.
3. Be available 24/7/365. If you are on a monthly retainer, you may have set up a contract where the client is allowed 6 hours of your time each month. Once the client has used your six hour s allotment you might feel justified to disappear. I never play my clients that way. Up front, I give them my home phone number and encourage them to call or text me if they get stuck for an answer. And you know what? I rarely get a call or a text. But offering to be available has been a solid brand builder for me. Being available forces me to stay on top of my client’s issues and juices my productivity. Try it. You might be surprised that very few clients will take you up on your offer.
4. Schedule a daily mind break. Consultants who have a lot of clients have two problems.
Problem One: They get overwhelmed having to know everything about a disparate cacophony of clients, which can cause them to shut down. They lose momentum. Their productivity can become stagnate.
Problem Two: Staying too busy doesn’t allow time for a consultant to pursue new clients. Worrying about keeping the pipeline full causes anxiety and productivity wanes.
The Solution: Carve out just one hour during your day where you don’t answer calls or emails. Nobody can interrupt you. This is YOUR TIME to prospect for new business or catch up on upcoming deadline work. Don’t feel guilty about others wanting to devour your time. You have a business to maintain. As much as you might hate to admit it, people can live without you for an hour.