Consultant, when does a prospect move your proposal to the top of their priority list?
Only when your service feels essential, not optional.
In my work with several consulting firms – across technology, marketing, leadership, and strategy – here are the top three triggers I see that flip the switch from “let’s revisit next quarter” to “how soon can you start?”
🎯 1. A non-negotiable deadline
A few years ago Oracle announced it would retire support for its on-premise suite on a fixed date. One IT consultant I advised had no problem filling his calendar with qualfied sales opportunities because of this built-in urgency. Buyers (CEOs, CFOs of SMBs, in this case) faced a clear risk: miss the cut-off and expose critical data to security gaps and audit failures. It was non-negotiable, and brininging in an expert to safely migrate data to a new cloud system became top priority.
🎯 2. A major threat to revenue:
A mid-size engineering firm saw two senior project leaders lock horns, stalling delivery schedules and putting a eight-figure contract at risk. A leadership consultant I coach was brought in fast to mediate, rebuild collaboration, and install conflict-prevention processes. The decision-making committee approved the engagement in very quickly because every delayed milestone hit monthly billings.
🎯 3. A fresh executive mandate:
A newly hired Strategy Director inherited an underperforming strategic initiative and had to demonstrate traction fast. A strategy advisor I support won the engagement by presenting a focused ninety-day recovery plan with clear quick wins and metrics. For the executive, external guidance was insurance for both project success and career credibility. This is why selling to newly hired executives is powerful.
In your consulting business, have you identified and deliberately look for strong triggers that warrant bringing in an expert urgently, or is your offering loosely offered to prospects without giving a thought to a strong need and trigger?
Something to reflect on as you build and refine your offerings.
—
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.
