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“Jeremy” recently pivoted from a freelance-style business to a more consultative model.
He was thrilled with how much more impact he was having with his client base—his early results were pretty off the charts.
But his pivot also meant relearning how to sell his services and—while he enjoyed the sales conversations—he was frustrated that they seemed to take so much longer to close.
We quickly zeroed in on the issue: when he was freelancing, all he had to do was send out a few emails and he’d be fully booked in no time.
This gave him confidence as a business owner because he knew how to reliably fill his pipeline.
But selling an outcome rather than his time was different.
Now, the client initiates: they decide whether (and how) they value the outcome (vs. his time)—and when they might like to start the work.
Instead of always knowing how to fill his dance card, the formula had changed…and it felt unnerving.
That’s how it feels when you move from freelancing or fractional work to outcomes-based consulting.
It feels weird at first—having to constantly wait on clients to decide to proceed when you’re used to getting a pretty immediate yes or no.
Jeremy was committed to his pivot—and the hefty uptick in revenue—so we built a plan to expand his pipeline to create more opportunities, more consistently.
A plan that doubles-down on outcomes and zeros in on discovering—and engaging—his ideal clients.
Because here’s the thing: selling outcomes-based work allows you to build a sustainable (and wildly profitable) business.
It gives you a story to tell about your vision of a better future for your clients.
And, you can draw a clear line of sight between what you do and the transformational outcomes you’re promising.
Yes, it may take longer for some to see the light—and like clients everywhere, they will do it in their own timeframe.
But when you keep focusing on your ideal clients (kind of like focusing a pair of binoculars), you’ll find that they often hire you quickly—because they already know they have a problem and decide that you’re the right solution.
Once you hit your stride, the occasional empty month on your calendar won’t throw you: it will delight you. Because you can go off and play for a while, knowing your business remains solid.
Related: The One Thing That Has To Be True When You Want To Sell More