Why Sales Training Won’t Fix Consulting Firms’ Sales Problem

“We just need more of our people to sell.” We hear this a lot in our daily work with consulting firms.

Typically, this comes up in conversations with firms where a couple of rainmakers carry most of the business development burden. And then, someone suggests: “Let’s do some sales training.”

This is a common instinct in consultancies – not limited to our clients and prospects. According to the Consultancy BenchPress report from 2025, 75% of UK consulting firms are planning to invest in “sales capabilities” this year.

And we almost always say: Not yet.

Sales training tends to focus on the process: conversation frameworks, buyer personas, negotiation steps. These are all useful elements but only if the team already knows what they’re selling.

And in most consultancies, the people just don't. Not because they’re unskilled, but because the firm itself hasn’t clarified its propositions.

And sales will always remain an uphill battle (read: a time and money drain) for consulting firms that don’t have a crystal-clear value proposition.

The above-mentioned report has found that only 17% of firm owners think their firm's proposition is very differentiated. This means that of those 75% investing in "sales capabilities," a full 80% won't get their money's worth in return.

Here, we dive into why clarity and differentiation of the value proposition – not training – should come first.

A Strong Sales Culture Requires A Strong Value Proposition Foundation

In our work with consulting firms, we’ve found that value proposition design is too often treated like a messaging tweak. A new headline. A better pitch.

However, real consulting value proposition design reshapes everything. It defines who the firm serves, what problems it solves, how it delivers impact, and why it exists at all.

It crystallizes – both internally and externally – answers to questions like:

• What business issue(s) do we solve?
• For which clients?
• What do they usually struggle with?
• What do we transform – and how differentiated do we deliver?
• What outcomes do we achieve?
• What is the typical client success journey or roadmap?

These are all critical "content" pieces and without clear answers, every sales conversation becomes guesswork.

The result? Only those with the instincts to be great guessers – natural improvisers, intuitive communicators – can succeed.

And, unfortunately, that success is relative: without a strict adherence to the parameters defined by the value proposition, the rainmakers ultimately lead consulting firms to a downstream vortex.

They come back from a client proudly asking, "Guess what I've sold to them?!?" More often than not, it’s something new, something improvised.

The delivery becomes a patchwork of improvised processes. Efficiency takes a hit. Resources – including talent – are not utilized optimally. The pipeline of work becomes spotty at best. Referral work dwindles, and case studies fail to show excellence in any particular niche.

That’s why we always recommend that consulting firms start with designing the consulting value proposition. We encourage firms to first clarify the issues they address, the outcomes they deliver, and the delivery method they use to get there. Then to share and reinforce this playbook internally.

Recommended reading: Building a Winning Consulting Value Proposition

When this foundation is in place, everything else becomes easier and more consistent.

Business development becomes less about persuading prospects to buy something and more about finding the right fit. Sales conversations gain focus and confidence. Delivery teams know exactly what promises are being made and how to fulfill them. Marketing becomes targeted and more impactful.

And over time, the consulting firm builds and strengthens a reputation for its ability to deliver substantial transformations.

Only once it becomes crystal clear what a consultancy transforms, how it does it, who it helps, and what problems it solves will a sales training (typically covering areas like opportunity qualification, objection handling, negotiation steps, sales funnels, and closing techniques) actually deliver the intended results.

How a Value Proposition Unlocks the Collective Sales Capacity

In high-performing consulting firms, sales success is often a byproduct. It’s not what a few leaders do on top of their work. It’s a side effect of the consultancy doing other things extremely well.

Yes, most are used to thinking of sales as a separate function. But when a consulting firm has a differentiating value proposition and it consistently delivers what it promises, sales stops being about pitching and persuading.

Rather, it becomes a conversation about fit – whether a client’s challenges align with the consultancy’s expertise.

Sales also stops being the responsibility of just a select few within the business. Value proposition design unlocks what we call a “collective sales capacity” – an environment where everyone can explain what the consulting firm solves and why it matters.

This collective sales capacity doesn’t just elevate traditional client-facing roles. It also empowers and leverages experts with deep expertise in client-facing situations – individuals who are often overlooked because leadership assumes they lack the communication skills to engage directly with clients.

A strong value proposition helps these experts frame what they know and do in C-suite contexts and language. It helps them clearly articulate how their expertise connects to client outcomes, which, in turn, allows them to participate meaningfully in pitches and client discussions.

As a result, the consulting firm is able to tap into its entire pool of talent, further boosting trust with prospects.

Ultimately, unlocking collective sales capacity transforms the trajectory of growth in a consulting firm.

It builds a culture where every team member-owners, team leaders, consultants, marketers, technical specialists, etc., shares ownership of the firm’s messaging and actively contributes to growth. This alignment creates consistency in client engagements, strengthens the consultancy’s reputation, and drives sustainable growth.

Recommended reading: How Thought Leadership Has Been Driving My Business Development for 15+ Years

Foundations First

When a consulting firm depends on a handful of rainmakers, no amount of sales training will fundamentally change how it grows. Real transformation starts with clarity – clarity about what the firm does, how it does it, and for whom.

A well-defined value proposition doesn’t just make sales easier; it turns every conversation into a confident exploration of fit, not a desperate attempt to persuade. It unlocks the consultancy’s collective sales capacity, enabling the whole team to contribute to growth.

That’s why it’s so striking that while 75% of consulting firms plan to invest in “sales capabilities” this year, only 17% of firm owners believe their proposition is truly differentiated. In other words, most are about to train their teams to sell something they themselves aren’t clear about.

So before committing to another round of sales training, it’s worth asking: “Is our value proposition clear enough that everyone in our firm can confidently explain why we matter?”

Because until that answer is yes, sales will always feel like a guessing game, and an expensive one at that.

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