I lost a big sales opportunity recently. I’m pretty gutted – I lost it to a competitor.
When this happens (and especially back when I was running my strategic planning consulting business), my mind would race to these questions:
👉 What did I do wrong?
👉 Did I misread the client’s needs?
👉 Should I have offered something different?
👉 Was the competition stronger?
👉 How will I cover costs for the next few weeks/months?
These are all good questions to reflect on, and they help improve your process.
But the biggest thing I’ve learned is that the best insurance for losing a deal is having a strong sales pipeline.
Back in the day when I didn’t have a sales pipeline, these questions made me panic.
When I fixed my sales pipeline and had multiple opportunities lined up, these questions gave me space to learn and reflect from the experience.
With a strong pipeline, I still feel the pressure when I lose a deal, but it’s much easier knowing the next opportunity isn’t too far away.
If you don’t have a sales pipeline, the key question on your mind should be this:
⭐ How can I fill my pipeline with more sales opportunities from ideal clients?
As a consulting business founder, that’s your #1 goal. The more you focus on that, the more you’ll enjoy the ride.
Ready to add $100k-$500k revenue to your consulting business in 12 months or less without burning out? Schedule a call and let me show you how.
Image credit: Dalle-3
