Luk’s Bi-Weekly 'Think Piece' For Consultancy Owners

EDITION #104

JULY 10, 2024

Dear reader, 

Here comes the 104th edition of my newsletter. 

In my new article in this edition, I discuss prospects' indecisiveness – what causes it and how boutique consultancies can overcome it.

In 2023, I read a book that significantly impacted me – 'The JOLT Effect' by Matt Dixon and Ted McKenna.

The authors explain the foundational reasons for clients' indecisive behaviour. This book stood out because of its relevance to the consulting industry. When I looked back at my conversations with consultancy owners and reviewed the pages of notes I had taken, I saw how eerily similar the behaviour of consulting service buyers is.

As always, I hope to create a bubble of calmness with my bi-weekly ‘think piece’, a place of stillness in the face of everyday stress—a chance to reflect on what really matters in your consulting work.

Enjoy reading, 

Luk

MY NEW ARTICLE

How Boutique Consultancies Can Overcome Prospects’ Indecisiveness

“87% of sales opportunities contain either moderate or high levels of customer indecision.” This is one of the research findings from Matthew Dixon and Ted McKenna.

Failing to break through the wall of hesitation is one of the main challenges consultancy owners bring me. Prospects show initial interest but then disappear, and the dozens of follow-ups the consultancy sends end up in a dark, mysterious void.  

So why are prospects so hesitant to make a purchase? And what can boutique consultancies do to reduce hesitancy and maximise their chances of winning new business?

These are the two questions I’ll be addressing in this article.

READ MY NEW ARTICLE

MY RECENT ARTICLES

CONSULTANCY GROWTH

Moving Beyond One-Off Projects in a Boutique Consultancy

KPIs

The One Boutique Consultancy Metric That Tells It All

STRATEGY

Dump the Buzzwords: What Actually Persuades Clients to Hire a Boutique Consultancy

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

10 Lessons Boutique Consultancy Owners Can Take Away from My Newsletter Strategy

MY LINKEDIN POSTS

VALUE PROPOSITION

The boutique consultancy’s pipeline is weak? Here’s the first thing to do!

CONSULTANCY GROWTH

Have you ever wondered how writing 100 newsletters can contribute to your boutique consultancy's growth strategy?

STRATEGY

Why most One-Stop-Shop Concepts in Consulting are Low-Performing Concepts.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Prospects either knock on the door or a consultancy is doomed to low performance. 

KPIs

Assessing a boutique consultancy’s performance? These five metrics are non-negotiable.

STRATEGY

The plain truth is that your consultancy’s expertise is NOT UNIQUE. 

MY BITE-SIZED ADVICE

In this section, I recap the pieces of advice and inspiration I share with my followers on LinkedIn every Monday – all learned or observed throughout my personal journey as a consultant.

Follow #consultingmonday on LinkedIn to never miss a dose of inspiration at the start of the week.

CONSULTING MONDAY, JULY 7

The ego of the consultancy owner or leader is detrimental to narrowing the consultancy’s positioning, focusing on its single biggest mastery, and refusing all other inadequate work. Unfortunately, big egos struggle to say ‘no’ because they are more in love with the next new opportunity than with deepening the consultancy’s expertise. Their ego can become the biggest enemy to the consultancy’s long-term performance.

CONSULTING MONDAY, JULY 1

Most boutique consultancies struggle to translate their (technical) expertise into an easily understandable, issue-led and outcome-based message for their target audience. Developing ‘the right voice’ creates a much deeper connection with potential clients, as they will understand the value the consultancy can deliver and what it stands for.

HERE'S HOW I HELP CONSULTANCIES

If you knew a way to become a high-performing consultancy, would you adopt it?

Stupid question, I guess.

My High-Performing Consultancy Review provides a 360-degree evaluation of challenges such as:

- market positioning and target audience definition;

- visibility and reputation in the market;

- new client acquisition;

- existing client development and retention;

- pipeline management and revenue predictability;

- expertise differentiation;

- non-linear scaling/growing;

- business performance measurement (financial & consulting KPI's);

- key player attraction and retention.

You'll receive a detailed report of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and areas for improvement, along with quick wins and actionable insights to help unlock your consultancy's full potential.

Don't settle for mediocrity. Book your High-Performing Consultancy Review today and take the first step towards a brighter future for your boutique consultancy. 

Here's a detailed article explaining the Consultancy Performance Review. 

PS. My ideal clients: founder-led boutique consultancies with revenue between 2M and +/- 20M and/or between 20 and +/- 100 consultants. 

BOOK A CALL →

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