28. The #1 thing to focus on during (and after) the sales process
If you're like most freelancers and consultants, you run your sales process much like a typical scoping project.
You try to figure out what the client wants you to do and you then nail down what the scope will be.
But that's a problem.
The clients aren't actually hiring you because of what you can do. They're hiring you because of where you can take them.
If you go back to the earlier post, "How to sell advisory services", you'll recall that the first part of my advisory value proposition is transformation. You're bringing a client from point A to point B.
When you focus on understanding, articulating, and scoping around the desired end state, then you have a much more consultative and effective approach to the sales, scope, and delivery of your project.
It's like magic. Suddenly you're not talking about deliverables, you're talking about outcomes. And that gets people excited.
Try it and let me know what you think. Stick a post-it note to your computer if you have to that says, "FOCUS ON THE GOALS" before your next phone call.
Everyone will get a better outcome when you do that. Especially if you keep the goal in mind throughout the engagement.
Yours,
—k
