If you’re pitching a prospect for a consulting deal, which model do you think appeals more to buyers?
👉 Model 1: Traditional time-based consulting
– Billing by the hour or day
– Large, rigid project scopes and milestone payments
– Focus on deliverables, not real-world results
– Consultants get paid whether the initiative succeeds or fails
– Risk stays entirely on the client
👉 Model 2: Outcome-based consulting
– Pricing linked to business results or strategic outcomes
– Shared risk and upside between consultant and client
– Flexible scope that adapts as new insights emerge
– Consultant and client work as partners toward a defined success
– Trust and alignment built into the model
If you were buying consulting, wouldn’t you pick Model 2?
Clients today are asking for real skin in the game.
And it’s not just boutiques making the shift.
Even big firms like Accenture are evolving.
They now collaborate with clients around “growth hypotheses” – for example, entering new markets – and tie their compensation to the success of those initiatives.
They don’t just deliver reports and workshops. They help build the outcome and share the rewards.
This approach strengthens trust, creates mutual commitment, and focuses everyone on delivering real value – not just logging hours.
The consulting world is changing. Fast.
Are you evolving your pricing and delivery model to match what clients now expect?
Join us for the next Consulting Growth Hour (May 8 @ 12pm ET) to listen to a former big-3 Partner discuss how consulting is evolving and how boutiques and independents can compete and win.
To be notified about the session, join the community – https://lnkd.in/dZZjKBvC
—
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.
