One of the most difficult capabilities to teach is spotting opportunities. This applies to conversations with prospects, in which prospects often don’t explicitly telegraph their needs. It also applies to follow-on projects with current clients, where there’s plenty of opportunity waiting for the consultant to see it, raise it to the client, then pursue the win.
5 Cues for Spotting Opportunities
1. Complaints – Signs of frustration, discontent, or disappointment since they represent a gap/issue in their client’s current performance.
2. Startups – New initiatives for which they have a budget but little concrete direction or know-how.
3. Big Plans – Money, attention, and effort flowing to ventures and programs.
4. Aspirations – Unfulfilled desires that could lead to projects.
5. Parallels – Any other potential buying locations at the client.
Helpful Resources: Opportunity Spotting Template [Downloadable resource] 5 Hidden Cues a Client Has More Projects for Your Consulting Firm Chapters 14-15 of The Irresistible Consultant’s Guide to Winning Clients
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