A client (consulting firm) came to me recently with a problem I hear ALL the time but which isn’t talked about often.
The client built his consulting business on the back of strong referrals. For three years, clients came to him without him lifting a finger. No outbound marketing, no sales process – just reputation and word of mouth doing all the work.
But now? The projects had dried up.
With a team to support and a reputation to protect, he felt the walls closing in.
He couldn’t risk losing what he’d built. Team members could leave, get hired elsewhere, and rehiring or retraining wouldn’t be easy. But even with all that pressure, he didn’t know where to start.
The client himself called this the “third-year consulting shop situation.” which is why he reached out for my help.
This situation is not uncommon in the consulting world. And it usually boils down to three core issues:
🧠 1. Mindset
Many consultants who’ve relied on inbound referrals often feel paralyzed when it’s time to make the first move. They’ve never needed to prospect before, so they rarely have the training – or the mindset – for it.
It’s uncomfortable. Unnerving. They’re used to clients showing up, not having to “sell” themselves. But this reluctance to reach out keeps them stuck.
📝 2. A missing sales process
Even if they land a conversation with a potential client, they’re not sure what to say next. They’re stuck in a reactive cycle, waiting for the prospect to tell them what they need.
Here’s the problem: Many prospects don’t know what they need – or they can’t articulate it clearly.
That’s why consultants need a simple, repeatable sales process to guide prospects toward clarity and action.
🌏 3. No discovery offer
This is one of the biggest gaps I see. Consultants need a foot-in-the-door offering that lowers the stakes for both sides.
A discovery offer is a first step in solving a major client problem. It’s standardized, has a clear outcome, and typically takes 30 days or less to deliver. Think: an assessment, an audit, or an evaluation.
It’s a low-risk way for the client to get value and build trust – and for the consultant to diagnose and outline next steps.
❓ What happened next?
With this client, we worked on shifting his mindset, building a simple prospecting process, and creating a compelling discovery offer.
The result? His firm landed multiple new projects worth six figures 💶 within months. 🔥
If your consulting business feels stalled after the early “referral years,” ask yourself:
1. Are you avoiding outreach because it feels unnatural or uncomfortable?
2. Do you have a clear process to guide prospects?
3. Are you offering a discovery offer that makes it easy for clients to say yes?
When you nail these three things, you’ll stop waiting for business to find you – and start winning it on your own terms.
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
