A silver bullet does not exist in the consulting sale. Selling consulting services is unique and remarkably different than selling a tangible product.  Products can be physicially held and touched.  Quality and value  can be assessed by mere observation and touch.   Consulting services are intangible and  inherently more complex.  The dynamic of winning a sale require proving trust and demonstrating a high degree of business process competency.  In this post I’ve outlined five elements that I leverage to assess when approaching a consulting opportunity:

1.  Tell a compelling story – paint a vivid picture of what your customer will achieve and articulate how they will get there but.  Focus on what you will do to help achieve that vision.

2. Develop trust -  Prove to the client you are an expert in your field, be honest and dependable. Always ensure your interests in the client are genuine and real.

3. Create a business case for change - use the story you developed to demonstrate why they need to change today by leveraging stories, testimonials and data.

4.  Look for opportunities to leverage value – Listening to your customers needs is critical.  Ask well thought out questions that speak to business problems and  the potential implications those problems can have on both a micro and macro level.

5. Look for every opportunity to help mitigate your clients risk – Put yourself in your clients shoes and think through all the area’s of concern they may have.  Consider talent, finanancial, operational risks.

This is a very highlevel list and I am sure we can collectively create a much larger list of potential elements that contribute to a winning consulting relationship with your customer.  What elements do you consider when developing your sales strategy and approach?