How do you show clients the value of your consulting services?

You can get faster buy ins if you speak their language. General industry speak is good but it makes your proposal impersonal. In my experience talking to the end user of your service / product by requesting the buyer group to setup a meeting with end users will give you the exact scope you would need to address. Additionally, it proves to be useful to know how well does the user articulate their needs - this can have a direct impact on your project success

I have found success with clients by asking what is the purpose of the Services investment on 3 levels: 1. How can the organization benefit from the engagement? 2. How can the team members benefit from the engagement? 3. How can the Product or Service benefit from the engagement? This approach allows me to align the delivery package across the 3 levels of Value delivery.

Some of the best consulting takes place in the proposal process. Use it as an opportunity to demonstrate the value you can add - and how you go about adding it. This is best done by converting the proposal process into a discussion of the problem as the client sees it and an exploration of issues and possible solutions. Done well, the potential client actually experiences what working with you would be like - and the likely value that would result.

Show them what you did for others in a similar position. In slide decks the case studies are normally found towards the end, or on websites towards the bottom. Time to move these both to nearer the front.. value can often be perceived by others and taken by someone else its more impactful. Aside from that use tools to help you create or add value. Perhaps showcasing them a little bit of tech, or an enhanced process will support.

“GO OUT AND TALK TO THEM YOURSELVES”! To really understand the needs of your corporate clients, I have 4 concrete tips for you: 1. Immerse as an anthropologist among your potential customers without being judgmental, to understand. 2. Find out what really relevant for them in their lives at this moment. 3. Identify their jobs-to-be-done and the major issues related to the context of your scope. 4. Do customer discovery before your ideation process YOURSELVES with your whole tam, as the experience is as important as the results. When you immerse in your target group yourself you will understand their situation, their needs, their jobs to be done better than any other method. so Your SOLUTIONS and your pitch will align perfectly ?????.

Any consulting project will be successful only if you clearly chalk out the objectives, map out the process, state contributions/requirements from all relevant teams, set timelines and client expectations on outcomes BEFORE beginning the project. By doing this, you have helped clarify to the managing an operating teams what is the limited extent of your role. You have also made it clear that this is a team effort. You're not stepping into someone's shoes but adding value to the operational efficiencies of the existing teams. A weekly update and periodic review will ensure all teams are synchronized and client objectives are met.

I have found that approaching your client engagements with a rather unintuitive objective results in higher client satisfaction, increased buy in and sustained implementation of recommendations, and repeat business & direct client referrals. What is this seemingly detrimental approach? I tell all my clients that if "I" do my job right you won't need me anymore. When consulting from the perspective of an educator the client benefits from improvement of their business skill and improves their accumen. They learn how to do it themselves with guidance; not dictated to in a exit interview and handed deliverables they may barely understand. The value of your services will be enhanced because the client feels empowered by your partnership

A workplan is a key tool to manage a consultancy project. An early workplan can make the time estimates in the project proposal more realistic; a detailed workplan is the key living document that guides the entire project. Since the workplan is a working document for the team, it need not be pretty. Excel is easiest (don’t bother developing a Gantt chart except for presentations).

Too often, consultants do not consider change management as part of their scope of work. As a result, the output of their services -- the new tool, information, plan, etc. -- is never adopted, rendering the ultimate value to the client null. The most successful (and most trusted) consultants are those who persuade clients to include change management, either as part of the SOW or by the client in support of the SOW. #changemanagement

From my own experience, illustrating value through metric presentation is the most effective means of showcasing engagement outcomes. Assessing the program's initial (AS-IS) state before commencing the consulting engagement and tracking these metrics at intervals will be instrumental in highlighting the consulting value.

I have found the lack of consistency in evaluation of strategic policy which was implemented to enhance an element of the companies performance. This is particularly prevalent with clients that were technitions and thru prior success found themselves in an executive role. I firmly believe that which gets measured gets done, and that which is consistently measured stays done . Quarterly follow up and check ins with a client to see how the KPI assigned to the initiative are going often result in renewed engagement. Clients that anticipate a "review" have shown much better evaluation of desired performance. The resulting continual evaluation results in the ability to refine and correct polices and sustained success.

Measure your input and outputs. The difference will show the impact you had. If you added tech, or changed a process try and get to a stage where you can report the results.

I fully agree with Arpit's perspective. If you are being hired to assess and evaluate a client's business and then recommend changes to their policies or procedures you must be open to reciprocation. If your afraid to hear what your clients think about your performance you demonstrate a profound lack of confidence in your capabilities or value. Furthermore, if you have reached a mindset of arrogantly assuming you can not benefit from an honest assessment of your performance then you have stopped trying to improve. That is the moment you start to fall behind. I have improved my skill set far more from valid criticism than from excessive praise.

USE THE FREE LINKEDIN SERVICES & REVIEWS TOOL LinkedIn is a great platform to offer your solutions too. Tip: do not forget to showcase your expertise HERE at ‘your LINKEDIN Services page’. You can describe a lot of different services and add videos or pictures. Ask for REVIEWS, as you can even invite customers to evaluate your services on a 5-point scale which really adds value for interested prospects. As example I add my front-end of innovation services page: https://www.dhirubhai.net/services/page/800576308648082121

This is very much important to know the gap between expected and perceived service. In order to make the customers delighted with our services, in the continuum we should ensure that perceived services always more than expected services.

Show value to clients with your Out-In perspectives, focussing on the areas that they need to address as a business opportunity. Tie it up with the inherent strengths they possess in their business models. With your #Bestpactices & #Nextpractices analysis of their org.This is more like insurance for growth ?? in their existing business models, while evolving their NextGen opportunities.

Usually, consultants meet the needs and requirements after a meandering process of iteration. However, the game begins when we anticipate assisting the client beyond their usual needs to a problem and are willing to help in areas they have not sought assistance. This shows the client your consideration and regard for how you do your work despite any monetary rewards.

Naturally, you need to bring value to your client, primarily by solving their problem. That is the obvious part, but the bigger and more impactful portion of that client-consultant relationship is additional value. This means demonstrating that you are personally invested in their success, as well as their problems. Follow-up, check-in, remember to say "happy birthday" and many other small things that are extremely important in building relationships and connections. You want to be perceived as part of their internal team, so small gestures go a long way.

I agree with this To retain and ensure customer loyalty, additional value offering is very much useful. This will make our services more differentiated from competitors.

This point relates to my prior post on consulting so your client doesn't need you again. When you become not just a trusted advisor but a direct source of beneficial tools, insights, or services you will be top of mind when the next major business decision or problem is recognized. This, likely to be reengaged to assist. If you provided the metric, procedure, or tool that resulted in the clients new perspective then you will be vastly more likely to be the person they reach out to for help addressing the issue. I never consider knowledge to be proprietary and the more benefits I volunteer without compensation has resulted in long term relationships of mutual benefit and far greater return to both parties.

Identificar problemas e oportunidades, sugerir solu??es através de novas a??es, sistemas, melhores práticas do mercado... Todas rotinas que qualquer consultoria pratica. Envolver-se além do que já estava contratado inicia uma rela??o de lealdade. Isso é agregar valor. Ali, onde o cliente n?o te pediu ajuda, pode estar o diferencial de uma consultoria. ótimo exemplo diz respeito à necessidade de mudan?as na cultura organizacional. Tema sensível de se falar e raro de se contratar. Muitos acreditam que a cultura organizacional "vai muito bem, obrigado". Quando o consultor é capaz de sensibilizar sobre a necessidade da mudan?a de hábitos e cren?as, ainda que fora do escopo da contrata??o, inicia-se uma rela??o de valor para o negócio.

Once you have mapped out the "As-Is" state through a customized baseline assessment, use your experience and expertise to show the roadmap for "To-Be" state. Include your approach for making yourself redundant after a specified period of time. This can only happen if you are not dictating but guiding and mentoring them to make choices and take decisions most suitable for their Organization in the long run. Deliver more than what the client expects by sharing of your Knowledge, experience and references of different Industries which can be applied in that company. Coach the designated "Champion" of the Company so that the person can facilitate the implementation of interventions. You will earn the trust and respect, beyond the money.

LET PROSPECTS TALK TO CUSTOMERS As innovation facilitator, I help big corporations on a structured journey to discover strategic innovations. As prospects are mostly risk averse, the process of hiring help for innovation them uncertain, even though I have written six books on the subject, am a LINKEDIN Influencer, and have facilitated more than 50 innovation projects the last 20 years. The MAGIC of convincing prospects always happens when I invite senior managers of a prospect to talk to one of my clients who recently undertook a journey facilitated by the FORTH innovation method. In those conversations, in which I take no part, prospects gets convinced by my satisfied clients. Which is mostly the last step before closing a contract.