Why do some consultants struggle to land (and keep) high-value clients?
Because they sell services instead of outcomes.
Clients don’t pay top dollar for a report that sits unread on a shelf. They pay for transformation.
I know what you’re thinking. Transformation takes time. How can you measure outcomes when real change takes months or even years?
In my strategic planning practice, I found it useful to measure both short-term and long-term change. I did this by measuring both leading and lagging indicators.
👉 A leading indicator predicts success. It’s an early sign that things are moving in the right direction.
👉 A lagging indicator confirms success. It’s the proof that change has happened.
Even if measuring results seems challenging in your field of consulting, there’s always a way to quantify business outcomes.
For example:
🔹 A leadership consultant
Leading: More direct reports receiving regular feedback
Lagging: Higher engagement scores in employee surveys
🔹 A brand strategist
Leading: Increased brand recall and sentiment in customer or industry surveys
Lagging: Higher customer retention and revenue growth
🔹 A culture consultant
Leading: More cross-team collaboration in meetings
Lagging: Reduced turnover and higher Glassdoor ratings
Your clients are busy. Distracted. Overwhelmed.
If you’re the one who keeps them focused on measurable progress – both leading and lagging – your reputation (and business) will take off.
Don’t be the consultant who just delivers information. Be the one who delivers real change.
✍ What leading and lagging indicators do you use in your work?
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
