Helping to Build High-Performing Consulting Firms

🔴 EDITION #136 | October 22, 2025

Dear reader, 

Edition 136 is here, and we’re discussing cross-selling.

Many consulting firms struggle to make cross-selling work despite good intentions.

This week, we explore why disconnected service portfolios undermine these efforts and how portfolio optimisation design allows consulting firms to embed cross-selling in client success journeys.

Enjoy reading, 

Luk & Florian

Our New Article

The Real Reason Why Cross-Selling in Consulting Often Fails

"If only our partners worked together more, revenue would grow exponentially." Ah, the illusion of cross-selling that many consulting leaders buy into.  

The theory behind cross-selling efforts is simple – and justified: utilise existing relationships with clients to deliver more value to these clients.  

In practice, however, cross-selling rarely works like that.  

The problem isn’t the lack of effort. It’s not even about the principle of cross-selling. The problem is wrong design choices.  

Without creating a set of connected services that centre around the same pain point and cater to the same target audience, cross-selling will most likely fail to deliver expected results as a revenue generation tool.

Read the New Article

Our Recent Articles

CONSULTING GROWTH

How to Assess Consulting Growth Potential Using the 5R Model

STRATEGY 

What "Outcome-Selling" Really Means for Consulting Firms

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

How Consulting Firms Can Overcome Prospects’ Indecisiveness

Our Recent LinkedIn Posts

🔴 LUK SMEYERS

Q3 SUMMARY

A Summary Of TVA Content - July-September 2025

KPIs

I overachieved my revenue and margin targets. But got criticised for poor utilisation.

STRATEGY

Consulting success is built on ‘trust at scale’. And too many consultancies don't get that.

CASE STUDY

Two consulting firms. Same problem: no clear proposition. Here’s what they changed.

CONSULTING GROWTH

The hardest part of growing my consulting firm wasn’t the work itself. It was learning which contradictions I could live with.

VALUE PROPOSITION

Value articulation in consulting is NOT about creating a new marketing tagline.

🔴 FLORIAN HEINRICHS

VALUE PROPOSITION

The Big Miss in Most Consulting Firm Propositions

PROPOSITION DESIGN

The Power’s in the Details (When It Comes to Consulting Propositions)

Here's How We Help Consultancies

1. Consulting Value Review

A structured, 4 to 6-week, value-proposition-anchored rapid assessment of a consulting firm's growth and performance potential.

Best for:

• Buyers or Investors evaluating the proposition and performance of a consulting firm pre- or post-acquisition/investment

2. Value Maximisation Program

A 10 to 12-week intensive program designed to define, sharpen, and operationalise a firm’s consulting proposition. 

Best for:  

• Boutiques struggling with differentiation & business development
• Practices in large consultancies needing a clearer positioning
• Consulting firms launching new service lines
• Enterprise SaaS companies starting a consulting/service function or needing to improve their current consulting proposition

3. Service Portfolio Optimisation Program

A deep dive into the cohesion, efficiency, and superior client value of a consulting firm’s service portfolio.

Best for:  

• Large consulting firms with too many overlapping or unclear service offerings
• Consulting firm practices seeking to scale profitably by optimising service-market fit

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