At the end of a recent one day seminar I walked over to one of the participants who wasn't looking very happy. I asked her what was on her mind and she said "I realized today that I don't want to be a consultant". This person was a very profitable consultant and had made a lot of money, but her "practice" was basically a one-client affair that had lasted many years and was now ending. She had no new clients in sight, and it was obvious she would be struggling to continue the practice - at least in the short term. What she was really saying to me was that she didn't want to be a sales person. She loved to consult, but the client aquisition process was not something she was ever interested in doing.
Very few successful small practices are run by people like this. And people like this lady seldom make partner in larger firms. To succeed in the long term as a consultant you need to be able to aquire new clients on a predictable, and consistent basis. Too often, this is overlooked by individuals considering a shift into consulting.
Are you ready to sell your services?
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