article options:      send feedback           

Providing Value

By Alan Weiss

Early in my career, a woman read an article I had written and referred me to another woman in a huge bank who referred me to her boss. The boss agreed to meet with me, to my abject stupefaction.

We had a delightful meeting—me, the second woman, and the boss—chatting in his office for about forty-five minutes. As we turned the corner on the first thirty minutes, I was acutely aware that, despite the great conversation, I had no idea whatsoever of anything I could do for him or he could do for me.

Smart Guys Finish First

As I struggled with each passing minute to focus on some potential project, he happily chatted about finance, consulting, the Mets, traffic, and the new office he was awaiting. Finally, inexorably, the clock struck the end of the meeting and his secretary entered, as good secretaries do, to remind him of his 11 A.M. conference call while holding the door to beckon my departure.

I stumbled to my feet, shook hands, and was absently thanking him for his time when he said, to my shock, “This was great. Let’s talk next week and set something up.”

Stunned, I actually inquired, “What are we setting up? Is there something that you want to work on together?” (How’s that for a dynamic assumptive close?)

“I don’t know,” he admitted, “But I do know we need smart people here and you’re a smart person. Well make something work.”

And we did. I worked with him on three or four projects over the next two years, and then followed him to three other organizations as his career blossomed. We remain friends to this day, twenty years later.

At the time of our first meeting, I didn’t fully realize that we have a great deal of value to offer in our presence, ideas, temperament, reactions, and challenges. We represent external expertise and perspective that isn’t resident in the organization.

What If I Hired Him?

Here is the question that we should create in every buyer’s mind: “If I’m getting this much value just from this meeting, what would I get if I hired this person?”

Too many consultants are looking to make a sales pitch, to hawk a particular product or service, to prove themselves (or, sadly, to avoid being rejected). It’s so much more effective—and so much easier—to rely on being an object of interest, an expert, a purveyor of value.

That means we should discuss “what” and not “how.” Outcomes, improvements, results, finalities—these are all fine, generalized topics. But methodology, approach, technology, and so forth should never be raised. True buyers like to talk about new heights, not the composition of the ropes and ladders. (There are plenty of human resources people who are happy to discuss chutes and ladders.)
           
What You Need

To engage in that kind of “value conversation” consultants need the following traits:

• Contemporary awareness. You should be able to discuss the bestseller list, the latest films, good restaurants, local politics, and so on. You don’t need to be a raconteur, but you do need to be a conversationalist.

• Business acumen. If you don’t know what ROE means (return on equity), or what the prospect’s stock price is (which you can Google), or who the CEO is (which you can get from the receptionist), then you’re at a distinct and self-imposed disadvantage.

• Push-back courage. Buyers are surrounded by “yes” people. You need to challenge basic premises and puncture false assumptions. You can’t be afraid of being thrown out of the office. I have news for you: Strong people like to be surrounded by strong people, not echoers

• Patience. This may seem counterintuitive, but the longer you take to form a relationship, the quicker you get business. Don’t be so eager to make a “pitch.” Don’t watch the clock as I did. Allow things to flow naturally. In the worst case, you can always set up another meeting.

The mere act of providing real value is more effective than any sales pitch or presentation. (And I don’t mean “pseudo-value,” like the restaurant server who introduces herself, informs you she’s your server, and makes like your friend. I don’t want a friend; I want great service, which would begin with a drink offer within ninety seconds of being seated, whether I know your name or not!)

If you are an object of interest, interesting people will be drawn to you. And believe me, your buyers are interesting people.

Want to read more by Alan Weiss? Visit his author page.

Alan Weiss, Ph.D. is the author of twenty-six books—including Million Dollar Consulting—which appear in eight languages. He runs the unique Million Dollar Consulting™ Colleges three times a year, and has a global mentoring program. He has won dozens of writing and consulting awards and is a member of the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame®. You can reach him at www.summitconsulting.com.

Visit his blog at www.contrarianconsulting.com, where you can also get his weekly Podcast.