The two most effective and least expensive ways to find new opportunities:
- Existing clients
- Be the expert with a teaching spirit
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| First--a little self-reflection: |
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- What is your primary role in your organization?
- How do you get new projects?
- Of these sources, which seem to yield the most satisfactory results (professionally, financially, and artistically)?
- What do you do when you are not delivering a project?
- What do your best clients say about you? Your worst?
- How much do you budget a year for sales activities?
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The two most effective and least expensive ways to find new opportunities:
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- Existing clients
- Be the expert with a teaching spirit
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Existing Clients |
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- Honesty is the only policy
- Talk to clients as equals and become their friend—don’t be a vendor; know that they are going to be sharing their expertise with you, too!
- Be a true consultant and know what you’re talking about
- Let clients know when you are not on solid ground and find them an expert
- Under promise, over deliver
- Communicate the good; communicate the bad
- Call when you’re late (and call before you’re due)
- Eliminate “they’ll never know” from your thinking
- Take responsibility for your errors
- Never bill unless you’ve added value; and don’t forget to bill
- Be a philanthropist (but get a receipt)
- Train even when they don’t understand
- Promote through your clients (and make that part of your contracts)
- Always make your client the hero
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If your organization is not currently set up to allow you the time to complete these things, consider a change in your organization! |
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Why do these things? |
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- It’s the right way to do business
- To prove yourself trustworthy
- It takes a minimum of 17 good customer experiences to make up for 1 bad one—and more if that 1 customer carries significant influence
- It’s scalable
- It helps you grow good workers in the marketplace
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| Be the Expert with a Teaching Spirit |
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Becoming the Expert |
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- Become really, really good in at least one area—the subject matter expert (take lots of time and a good deal of money)
- Build expertise in a topic that is still a mystery to most
- For the short course, hire an expert for your billable project, but insist that you be there for every step and learn OJT
- Have proof—real credentials as the expert on your topic—earned certifications; positions; and so named by others
- Don’t toot your own horn
- Don’t be dull
- Sprinkle your experience into conversation (but not in a gloating fashion)
- Give others credit where due
- Make alliances with other experts in your field
- Be willing to admit to your faults
- Always, always, always be learning
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Adopting a Teaching Spirit |
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- Look for opportunities to share what you know without a fee
- Have enthusiasm about your area of expertise (drink your own Kool-aid)
- Teaching is done with love and a willingness to share—not as an exercise in proving superiority
- Develop new experts
- Teach in every support call, every sales call, on your web site—at every opportunity
- Hold seminars through your local Chamber; community college; or networking group
- Volunteer to help in your community within your field of expertise
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