Do You Need Visuals For Your Presentation?

Monday, October 16, 2017

So that one’s a no-brainer, right?

OF COURSE every presentation is better with visuals.

Except when it isn’t. Continue reading →

A Handy New Sales Hack

Monday, October 9, 2017

Like you, I get random LinkedIn connection requests often.

Unless they’re obvious crackpots, I usually accept and send a short message mentioning that I look forward to learning more about them/their work.

They might want to sell me something I need, read my stuff or become a client—so I stay open to seeing what they have to say. Continue reading →

Getting The Most From Your Conference Investment

Monday, October 2, 2017

True confession: until last month, I hadn’t been to a multiple day conference in almost five years.

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that in public, but the truth is, I just didn’t HAVE to. My business has grown steadily from referrals and my social media presence. So it just didn’t seem essential to hop on a plane and spend thousands of dollars and three valuable days for an experience that might not prove worthy of the investment.

And it’s not like there is one place where my sweet-spot clients congregate. Continue reading →

Growing Your Consulting Business WITHOUT Shameless Self Promotion

Monday, September 25, 2017

“Jason” is brilliant at what he does. His unique genius lies not in the technical (although he ranks amongst the top in his profession), but in connecting the dots between his expertise and his clients’ dilemma.

He’s exceedingly direct while being deeply insightful, which means he is able to cut through even dueling C-suite teams to illuminate a pathway to success.

He becomes their brain surgeon, brought in for bet-the-business problems. He’s a professional with some serious creds and more than a little gravitas. But he’s also warm, thoughtful and a natural story-teller. Continue reading →

Selling The Invisible

Monday, September 18, 2017

Consultants, advisors, speakers—we sell the invisible.

We’re selling our wisdom—or at least that’s what we think we’re selling.

In truth, you’re actually selling the experience of working with you. Continue reading →

Your Sweet-Spot (And How To Find It)

Monday, September 11, 2017

When I met “Zelda”, she had just finished her first year in business. But instead of congratulating herself for replacing her former income (plus 35%), she was considering going back into corporate.

Not because she didn’t like being a solo, but because she’d made a rookie mistake: she hadn’t figured out her sweet-spot before she started selling herself.

Instead, she said yes to every project she uncovered. Continue reading →

How Not To Suck At Downtime

Monday, July 31, 2017

As we dive-bomb into August, I’ll be pausing these weekly thought pieces.

Stay tuned for September: I’m working on a content revamp, co-hosting a brand spanking new podcast AND fine-tuning the next ConsultantBrand experience.

If you’re thinking about enrolling, mark your calendar to start the virtual workshop on September 22. Continue reading →

How To Decide If You’re REALLY Course-Ready

Monday, July 24, 2017

You’ve got an idea for the perfect digital course.

It’s focused on your sweet-spot clients and buyers and you can envision exactly how it will transform their lives by solving a common problem.

Meanwhile, it feels like every Tom Dick and Harry—many with far less savvy than you—is offering up a course.

Should you or shouldn’t you buckle down and build yours? Continue reading →

When Should You Boost Your Consulting Fees?

Monday, July 17, 2017

Notice the question isn’t “should you boost your consulting fees”, but WHEN.

Because whether you’re solo or leading a firm, you’re still running a business that is (ideally) growing and evolving. Your fees shouldn’t remain stagnant anymore than your work. And make no mistake; your fees are an essential piece of your brand. They telegraph your value in neon lights. Continue reading →

Eight Reasons You Need To Become An Authority

Monday, July 10, 2017

When I left the big boys to start my first firm, I made the decision to continue to court the dozen or so mega companies where I had built strong relationships.

It was a calculated investment since my two-year non-compete precluded me from earning any revenue from it and I wasn’t sure if they’d buy from a tiny firm. But they were people I’d deeply enjoyed getting to know and wanted them to stay in my circle.

Just when my two-year moratorium was up, one of my favorite folks was getting ready to solicit bids on a project right up our alley. Continue reading →