Consulting practice cuts across different sectors of the economy and as a result they are uniquely defined by experience, specialisations and clients served.

All consultants encounter similar problems in building and sustaining an excellent practice, experts note.

Veterans in consultancy say there are certain challenges encountered at the beginning of the business, and if not addressed immediately, may put an end to it. Among these challenges is the ability to find clients and keep them. Essentially, they say what is required to convince the client is a good knowledge and experience of their needs and ability to proffer feasible solutions.

To sustain the business, experts have highlighted ways of finding clients and keeping them.

Develop and nurture a strong network

Experts note that consultants need to create an environment that provides an ongoing flow of opportunities. And this can only be possible when they have built a strong network.

According to them, most successful consultants receive a higher percentage of their projects from their trusted network.

A business consultant, Mr. John Makinde said, ”Building a strong network can be achieved by attending networking events, utilising blogging and social media, or creating an email newsletter to keep them up-to-date. There are many ways to build and nurture a strong network, but the key one is to be active.”

Establish sales objectives

A good knowledge of sales process, according to experts, can determine the sustainability of a consulting practice.

An expert in consultancy, Susan Nash, says, “By establishing realistic yet challenging objectives for each part of the sales process, you can prevent the nightmare of running out of consulting projects and avoid the ‘feast or famine’ syndrome.”

According to her, establishing positive sales communication with clients represents a complex combination of means of communication using effectively certain channels and methods which include understanding differences and applying a range of simple and complex interpersonal skills to adapt to differing client needs.

Experts say it is evident that increasingly more communication takes place via email. While email is a great communication channel, they say it is always important to use the right medium for the message. For instance, Nash says relationships cannot be initiated by mails neither can feelings be expressed through it.

Overcome the fear of rejection

According to experts, the fear of rejection serves as an obstacle to getting the right customers.

To overcome this fear, experts say the notion of selling a service should be replaced with a desire to meet their needs.

Nash says, “Think about helping them instead. When you provide a service to clients, you will be helping them meet a business need, solve a problem or achieve a business goal. If you cannot help them, then don’t sell to them.”

She says selling at its best is a mutually satisfying interaction in which both sides win. This means that on the one hand, the client’s needs are met and on the other hand, the consultant generates income, engages in his or her profession, and reaps personal rewards for helping the client.

In addition, she says the tactics the consultant uses in selling himself or herself can be simpler than selling a product because they know what they are capable of doing. However, Nash says it can also be more difficult because a refusal can be viewed as a personal rejection.

Sell your business

Experts say selling is a specific marketing activity that results in a consulting assignment. They say the difference between successful and unsuccessful consultants is usually their ability to sell.

The Chief Executive Officer of BDO Consulting, Dr. Joshua Olagbaju, says to gain the confidence of clients and keep them, budding consultants need to first of all develop an area of concentration, create a niche for themselves, demonstrate their expertise in that area, and focus on the clearly defined area so that they can be reckoned with.

He advises that consultants should select the most effective marketing tactics to be able to sell and penetrate the market and retain their clients. He says, “You also need to deliver quality work. Build confidence in your clients with services rendered.”

Present a winning proposal

After a level of relationship has been built, experts say appointments may be fixed which will result in a client’s request for a proposal.

According to Nash, a proposal is usually a document addressed to the client that describes your understanding of the client’s needs, summarises the key information gathered in the meeting(s) with the client and restates what the client requested.

In addition, she explains that the proposal states what the consultant intends to do for the client, what anticipated results and potential benefits will be gained as a consequence of the engagement and outlines the approach and qualifications.

She further says that the tone of the proposal should be persuasive, adding that they should avoid being misled by some clients who are fond of requesting proposals without first identifying their needs.

She says, “You don’t know their needs so how can you send a proposal? You will only spend time creating something generic and they will reply, ‘This is not what we are looking for.’

The complexity of the proposal will depend on the size of the project and the type of consulting that you do. Remember that the proposal needs to include critical information, but should not be cumbersome.”

Exceed clients’ expectations

Once an agreement is reached with your client to proceed on a consultancy venture, get it done faster and better than expected, Makinde suggests.

According to him, this will prompt them to do more business with you, because they have confidence in your performance.

He says being friendly, showing genuine concern and being professional will help to build a cordial relationship with your client, thereby encouraging more business transactions.

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