Tools to Build Your Business

The conventional wisdom says that you can “just hang out a shingle and call yourself a consultant.” It’d be nice if it were that easy.

To succeed in this information-intensive business, you’ll need a bunch of technologies, resources, and tools to support the great services you offer and deliver.

I’ve spent some time sorting out which tools work best for my business and those of my clients. To help you make choices for your own business, I offer this list of the tools and resources I use and recommend to others.

Read more.

Your efforts during the sales process contribute to your client’s perception of value, of course, but other sources of influence can be equally critical to your client’s buying decision. Before most people make a big purchase, they seek advice from those they trust–colleagues, mentors, a boss, or even a family member.

I’m not talking about people who have an “official” role in approving the sale, but those in your client’s network who are likely to get your client’s ear. It’s possible that you’re not aware of these people and how they could shape the sales process.

Not long ago, for instance, I worked with a prospective client on a project that never got off the ground. Why? I found out later that one of the client’s influential colleagues questioned the project’s value and that was the end of it.

It’s not always possible to know which individuals could sway a client, but you can ask questions to help identify them and their potential concerns.

For example, to understand the perspective of your client’s colleagues, ask how your proposed project fits with other ongoing or planned initiatives. Is your project complementary to others or competing? You can also ask directly how your client’s colleagues view the value of your proposed project.

To get a better understanding of how the client’s staff might influence the buying decision, you can ask what the most influential staff people think of the project–and the potential organizational change it would bring. Will they view the project as essential, somewhat important, or just another initiative?

You can come up with similar questions to figure out how your project may be viewed by others in your client’s network.

Use the answers to these questions to shape a value proposition that includes the impact of the project on the people who aren’t directly involved in the decision process but who are important to the sale.

Some people worry that clients will pilfer their ideas and use them without any help. Others are concerned that competitors could get their hands on proprietary information and figure out a way to profit from it. A few believe that clients should pay before getting the “good stuff.”

Such concerns are not unreasonable. I’ve seen clients “borrow” ideas, and ethically-challenged consultants have been known to “adapt” other people’s work and call it their own. Fortunately, these are exceptions, not the rule.

Clients buy your expertise. Your best ideas are the foundation of the value you offer. If you hold them back, you put yourself at a disadvantage. Plus, hopefully, no one can execute a project using your ideas as well as you can.

My advice is to share your best ideas freely. Clients will appreciate your commitment and you’ll have better luck closing sales. When asked if it wouldn’t be better to wait on providing ideas to clients, a colleague summed it up by saying, “They can take my ideas. I’ll come up with others.”

Your expertise (and value to clients) grows over time. Often, though, fees lag behind that growth. Most consultants I meet are pricing their services too modestly for the value they provide.

When was the last time you changed your fees? If it’s been more than a year, it’s time to consider a change. It’s a routine matter for many businesses to raise their fees each year, no matter how good or bad the economy.

You might worry that you will sink your competitive position if you change your fees in a tight market. But remember, the state of the economy won’t impact your clients’ perceived value of your services–assuming you’ve done a good job expressing that value.

To decide if you need to rethink your fee strategy, ask yourself one question: Is the value you bring to your business keeping pace with the value you’re bringing to the market?

It’s hard not to fume when your hard work is pilfered. What do you do? Confront the idea thief? Ask the credit grabber to give your team a plug?

Your best option is to bite your tongue and say nothing. Why? I call it the Rule of Client Credit: By giving up the credit, you actually earn credit (and more business).

In any client meeting, you can be certain that the key people in the room know where the ideas they’re hearing came from. Sure, not everyone will get it, but those who matter most will. The same holds true for letting others have the glory for a project’s outcome. The right people are aware that they couldn’t have done it without you.

Instead of demanding equal tribute, allow your clients time in the spotlight. That selfless behavior will earn you something more valuable than short-term gratification: Respect and trust. Besides, you reap other rewards. The most obvious is that you get paid. Plus, you’re doing work you want to do (or you should be).

Of course, you can’t always follow the Rule of Client Credit. It’s not a good idea, for example, to stand by while someone mangles or misrepresents your ideas. In that case, you have to speak up and clarify–for the client’s sake.

For the most part, though, you’ll find that you benefit from letting clients take the credit. That’s not always easy on the ego, but it’s likely to lead to a stronger client relationships and more work. Isn’t that more important?

Sometimes, no matter what you do, “arms-crossed” guy won’t budge. But if you need that person’s help, you’ve got to try. Here are a few tips for coaxing information from an unwilling client.

Start Easy

If there’s no apparent threat or risk, “arms-crossed” guy may warm up. So start your conversation with the basics. Normally, though, this guy could care less what you think about the plaque on the wall honoring his community contribution seven years ago. Don’t go there.

Instead, begin by stating exactly what you want to learn, who sent you, and how you plan to use the information. Also, confirm how long the meeting will last. You’d probably do this introduction with anyone, but it’s critical with semi-hostiles.

Resist the urge to respond to snide comments about the project, your role, or anything else that gets lobbed at you. Once you take that bait, you’ve lost the possibility of turning a bad meeting into something useful.

Then launch into easy, factual questions, for example, “How many people do you manage?” “How has your business (or function) grown, and who are your best customers?” The point: Start without controversy, show that you listen, care, and have credibility.

Plus, resist the urge to respond to snide comments about the project, your role, or anything else that gets lobbed at you. Once you take that bait, you’ve lost the possibility of turning a bad interview into something useful.

You might be able to pierce the wall of resistance by letting a reluctant client talk. Simple, fact-based questions offer the client an opportunity to thaw. Allow time for your client to expand on answers by pausing for several seconds after each response before you dive into the next question.

Define Your Must-Haves

If your meeting isn’t going well and there’s little hope of turning it around, check your notes. Identify the essential information you must have from this individual. Usually, you’ll have options for finding what you need elsewhere. Still, zero in on what only this person can give you and ask away.

Keep a brisk pace as you move through your questions, but don’t leave the impression that you’re writing off the meeting. Treat the reluctant client as an important part of your process, no matter how hard that is.

Get Closer to the Issue

Once you’ve finished the meeting, you’ll need to confirm whatever you learned. Find others who can flesh out your information, interpret what you know, and point you to others who can help. When you’re rebuffed by a client, get closer to the problem. Find people who are directly affected by the issue and seek out their opinions.

No matter how much “arms-crossed” guy resists, you’ve got to stay above the fray. Don’t complain about him to others in the client’s organization—chances are they already know about the attitude. And don’t avoid him in the future. Who knows—“arms-crossed” guy might turn out to be your best ally; treat him well and keep chipping away.

James Kouzes

“There’s nothing extraordinary that’s ever gotten done by a single individual.”

In this podcast, I talk with James Kouzes, co-author with Barry Posner of the international bestseller, The Leadership Challenge, How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. For more than 30 years, Kouzes and his colleagues have examined what it takes to become a leader who people will choose to follow.

Kouzes and I talk about three essential behaviors that help define a great leader. We also discuss the barriers people face as they work to become better leaders and how to address those challenges.

The Ten Commitments of Leadership

1. Clarify Values – Affirm shared values.
2. Set the Example – Live the shared values. Teach others to model the values.
3. Envision the Future – Imagine the possibilities. Find a common purpose.
4. Enlist Others – Appeal to common ideals. Animate the vision.
5. Search for Opportunities. Seize the initiative. Exercise outsight.
6. Experiment and Take Risks. Generate small wins. Learn from experience.
7. Foster Collaboration. Create a Climate of Trust. Facilitate relationships.
8. Strengthen Others. Enhance self-determination. Develop competence and confidence.
9. Recognize Contributions. Expect the best. Personalize recognition.
10. Celebrate the Values and Victories. Create a spirit of community. Be personally involved.

Adapted from The Leadership Challenge, How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations, by Kouzes and Posner.

You can find out more at www.leadershipchallenge.com. You might also be interested in another podcast I conducted with Jim Kouzes,  How to Gain Credibility as a Leader.

Podcast run time: 15:03

Intro music exluna by Jakub Koter

This insane graphic shows why you can expect massive consolidation of digital/social media marketing software and tools. The situation is equally crazed for mobile device marketing.

Here are eight ways to avoid Death by Desk Job.

If you use Twitter, the people at Twitter know what you’re doing on the internet. You can stop that tracking, or at least slow it down, by following these easy steps.

What will the CIO role look like in 2020? Consider one analyst’s view.

Google makes major changes to its search capabilities. Has the semantic web arrived?

IT outsourcing is on the decline, but on-shore jobs aren’t necessarily coming back.

Do you use an editorial calendar for your content development? These three tips will help you create one that will work.

Does content marketing matter for consultants?

Ever wonder why people abandon an online shopping cart? Here’s the answer.

Hi
I hope you are having a great week.
First of all, I was just checking in to see if you have any upcoming projects that I can quote for you? Please call, or email me, with the specs of your project and I will get the quote back to you.

I’m not sure how this email dodged my spam folder, but my immediate thoughts were–Who is this person? And what projects is he talking about?

I was tempted to request a quote to retool the docking bay at the international space station, but resisted the urge. This marketer was probably doing what he thought was right, even though he’s wasting his time (and mine) and his employer’s money.

Of course, it’s not a secret that you’re selling something. And prospective clients expect to eventually hear some sort of sales pitch from you. They’ll put up with sales letters–and maybe buy from you–if you’ve got a track record of keeping the pander-to-value ratio of your emails low.

You won’t find a formula for how much value you need to deliver to those on your email list before you can make an offer. Besides, everyone’s business and tolerance level are a bit different, so rules of thumb don’t apply.

You know your clients and target markets as well as anyone, so imagine that you’re a prospective client. What do you want to learn about? What information would you value? How long would it take for someone to establish enough credibility that you’d be receptive to an offer?

I don’t know any consultants who’d send an email as lame as the example above. Still, it is instructive: Be patient, target your audience, offer value before selling, and don’t waste your resources blasting out emails to people who don’t know you and haven’t asked to hear from you.

Here’s a roundup of news items, trends, and market data that I’ve come across recently.

Technology can overwhelm your ability to be productive. In an article in the News York Times, productivity guru David Allen offers options to overcome those challenges. You can also read my interview with David Allen.

Here’s a fascinating infographic on why small businesses fail. The leading cause of failure? Lack of experience.

In case you needed to know, you can now view, on a daily basis, an assessment of US residents’ health and well-being. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index offers real-time measurement and insights needed to improve health, increase productivity, and lower healthcare costs.

This infographic shows five things that waste your time at work and the cost of those time-wasters. The biggest time-sapper is trying to contact customers/clients and colleagues.

Using email for work is so 1995, according to some who’d like to eradicate email from the workplace. If you feel the need to tame your email box, here are five tips to help you.

40-question quiz: Do you have a narcissistic personality? Thanks to Bob Sutton for this link.

Speaking of tests, here are five classic tests of creativity. Try one (or more) and see how you do.

Everyone slams PowerPoint. So, what’s the right way to use it? Nick Morgan, of Public Words, has an idea.

Your project planning process may be the reason you’re stressed out.