Good consultants generate leads.
Great consultants detect triggers. 🔍
Because without a reason to buy, nobody buys.
Here’s how to find real-world signals that point to consulting opportunities – especially in mid-sized private firms:
👉 1. Leadership changes
↳ New CFOs, COOs, and CROs bring new priorities.
↳ They’re more open to external support during transition.
↳ Many consulting deals happen in this window.
👉 2. Job postings tied to pain
↳ Roles like Revenue Ops or Process Manager hint at friction.
↳ Companies post these when they feel internal pressure.
↳ That’s your cue to reach out (tailor the roles to your domain).
👉 3. Referral partners who see it first
↳ Fractional execs, CPAs, and lawyers spot issues early.
↳ Build intentional partnerships, not passive networks.
↳ Structure them to surface deals – not just goodwill.
👉 4. M&A activity and PE-backed deals
↳ Acquisitions trigger integration, cost pressure, team turnover.
↳ Track recent deals from PE firms and note portfolio shifts.
↳ These firms often fund transformation – their exit depends on it.
👉 5. Public interviews, PR, and press mentions
↳ Founders hint at pain in interviews and releases.
↳ Posts and soundbites = strategic clues.
↳ Use ChatGPT “deep research” to scan and summarize themes tied to problems.
Every deal starts with a trigger.
The more precise the signal, the higher the lead quality.
No trigger = cold lead.
Weak trigger = slow close.
Strong trigger = momentum and urgency.
Consulting isn’t about selling.
It’s about educating the market consistently – so the right people know, like, and trust you.
And it’s about reaching out at the right time – when a clear trigger signals urgency.
Do both well, and sales stop feeling like a struggle.
They start feeling like momentum.
🕵♀️ P.S. Want my ChatGPT prompt for researching hidden triggers in private firms?
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