Helping to Build High-Performing Consulting Firms

🔴 EDITION #150 | May 20, 2026

Dear reader, 

Welcome to the 150th edition of our newsletter. It is hard to believe that 150 editions have already been shared.

This milestone feels even more meaningful because of the more than 3,000 readers who have followed along so loyally. Thank you for being part of it.

In this edition, the featured article explores why consulting firms should segment by business issue (s) first and industry second, and why an industry-first approach (the default in consulting firms) can weaken the value proposition.

Enjoy reading,
Luk & Florian

Our New Article

Why Most Consultancies Should Segment by Issue First and Industry Second

Clients don't experience themselves as “in an industry.” They experience “having a problem.”

A CFO at a mid-size manufacturer doesn't wake up thinking "what would a typical industrial goods company do?" They think: "Our operational costs are up 15% year on year and I can't pinpoint where it's coming from. Who can help me fix that?"

That distinction may seem small, but commercially, we've seen it can have an enormous impact.

Unfortunately, most consulting firms are organizing their go-to-market around the wrong segmentation, leaving a lot of differentiation and streamlining potential untapped. 

Read the New Article

Our Recent Articles

DIFFERENTIATION

How Consulting Firms Sabotage Their Go-to-Market

VALUE PROPOSITION

How to Test a Consulting Value Proposition With Three Simple Questions

STRATEGY

Why Sales-Led Consulting Falls Short

OUR BOOK IS COMING IN 2026:

Consulting Proposition Design Book

Mastering Value Proposition Design for Consulting Performance

Join the waitlist to receive early access, get invited to a few pre-launch activities, and receive the book at the special launch price.

Join the Waitlist

Our Recent LinkedIn Posts

🔴 LUK SMEYERS

VALUE PROPOSITION

Most consulting firms still treat their value proposition as a marketing accessory.

STRATEGY

It always surprises me that so many consulting firms struggle to articulate the value they can add to their clients.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT

If a consulting firm's website explains what the it does rather than what the client can gain, it has already lost its pricing power.

BUSINESS GROWTH

Under revenue pressure, something dangerous starts to happen in consulting.

CLIENT RETENTION

A question we get a lot: how will clients react to a new consulting proposition?

VALUE PROPOSITION DESIGN

A filled-in Value Proposition Canvas is not a market-ready consulting proposition.

STRATEGY

A sentence I have never forgotten: “Luk, we lost our mojo.”

🔴 FLORIAN HEINRICHS

MANAGING A CONSULTANCY

The Consulting Work You're Not Proud of Winning.

GO-TO-MARKET

"But Our Clients All Think They're Special."

STRATEGY

When the Pipeline Weakens, Most Consulting Firms Do the Same Thing.

BUSINESS GROWTH

The Partner Who Is the Playbook.

DIFFERENTIATION

There's a Pitch Most Consulting Firms Have Lost That Still Stings.

FUTURE OF CONSULTING

A Lot of Consulting Firms Are Scared of AI Right Now.

FUTURE OF CONSULTING

"If Claude can do this — what, exactly, is your consultancy adding?"

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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