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Snag Your First Paying Client as an Independent Consultant – Part 4   Beyond referrals, you will need to demonstrate your product’s relevance as a solution to people who require more rapport-building. This step in the Client Journey begins inviting potential clients that don’t have the benefit of a warm introduction.    First Clients Strategy #3 Get Leads from Fresh Outreach At some point, you will exhaust all your referrals and will need to seek out and qualify other leads. Cold outreach can seem scary – that’s why I call it Fresh Outreach instead – but can be amazing if executed well. The key isRead More →

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Snag Your First Paying Client as an Independent Consultant – Part 5   Building on the initial engagements in Parts 2 to 4, we now look at steps in the Client Journey that progress toward conversion. When you have successfully generated curiosity about your product, potential clients want to dive into your work to develop confidence in your expertise. A beautiful relationship is now forming based on the interactions between you and the potential client. You can help this relationship bloom with meaningful content that adds context to your basic pitch.    First Clients Strategy #4 Engage Leads with Meaningful Content Potential clients want evidenceRead More →

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Snag Your First Paying Client as an Independent Consultant – Part 3   Another approach to the first steps in the Client Journey – spread awareness of your product among past collaborators while seeking testimonials and contract work.    First Clients Strategy #2 Get Work or Testimonials from Past Employers and Coworkers Potential clients want to know that you are competent and trustworthy. The most credible source of that information is people who have worked with you in the past (coworkers, supervisors, supervisees, etc.). You know your intentions, but others can describe how well those intentions are delivered. Gather testimonials from paid and unpaid workRead More →

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Snag Your First Paying Client as an Independent Consultant – Part 2   Remember the steps in the Client Journey. Everything begins with spreading awareness of your product and uncovering the people who have a problem that your product can address.   First Clients Strategy #1 Get Client Referrals from Your Network When you get started, recommendations are powerful credibility boosts. Word-of-mouth is a highly trusted source of information and allows you to borrow the recommender’s reputation, instead of working to prove yourself from scratch. Leverage your relationships to identify people who want to work with you.   1. Create a simple, concise pitch AwarenessRead More →