Tag Archives: client

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Managing the Difficult Client

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In your Freelance consulting venture you will work with dozens, if not hundreds, of clients.  Your experiences  with different clients will eventually allow you to recognize certain recurring personality types or working styles.  In your mission to retain clients over the long-term,  you will find it useful to understand the perspectives of the various personality types and learn to create successful,  or at least less fraught,  working relationships with them.

The attention craver

The onslaught of before or after office hours calls and voice mails will be your first clue that you have signed on with a high-maintenance,  controlling,  attention-craving client.  If you’re on a high-priority deadline project,  then the calls and emails may be part of what it takes to get the job done and impress the client with your work ethic,  business acumen and ability to guide the project to a successful completion.  But when the calls do not address an urgent matter…. hhhmmmm.

As noted with several of the difficult clients discussed in this and last week’s posts,  setting boundaries is recommended.  Answer the attention-craver’s calls or emails in a timely fashion.  If by your standards calls have been made during your personal time  (7:00 PM or after,  for example,  or on a weekend)  and the matter is not urgent,  politely state that while you appreciate updates,  you will be happy to address project matters by 8:00 AM on the next business day.  If you reach the client’s voice mail,  send an email to confirm your reply.

The analysis-paralysis specialist

The analysis-paralysis specialist is methodical,  prone to taking his/her time when evaluating matters and will likely respond well to credible data.  Getting a fast answer or decision may be a challenge.   S/he is afraid of doing the wrong thing by failing to consider the inevitable plusses and minuses of the choices presented.  Spreadsheets are favored.

If you have a recommended course of action,  compile statistics and case studies to support your opinion and invite other team members into a meeting with you to lend support.  It will be important to help this individual feel confident and ready to move forward.  Solid evidence and a consensus of opinions will be required.

The busy business owner

This overwhelmed CEO is most likely very happy to have you on board to manage an important project,  but s/he is perhaps unable to take full advantage of your expertise because s/he is too busy to adequately integrate you into the process,  or take the time to sit down and apprise you of the organization’s challenges, needs,  or opportunities and the services you can provide to address what is presented.

You can help the busy business owner and yourself by creating short reports that focus on key performance indicators that allow the busy one to access necessary information.  Concise progress reports,  documentation that milestones have been reached on time and other demonstrations of the results of your work will be appreciated. Try to schedule meetings when progress discussions should take place,  but keep them short and focused.  Send a list of questions when you schedule the meeting,  so that your busy client will be more likely to take the time to share project critical information.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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How To Manage A Difficult Client

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Full disclosure: when I went out on my own as a Freelancer, my very first client was a terrible human being and as a result the project was a difficult  experience.  I did the best that I could to satisfy the completely unreasonable expectations,  time frame and amount that this individual was willing to pay.  Most of all, I came to recognize the rookie client management mistakes I had made,  chiefly,  failing to confirm the full project scope,  budget and length.  I also learned how to recognize who had the potential to become a bad client (not a fool-proof science,  but helpful nonetheless).

Furthermore,  I now have the inner strength to fire a bad client,  because they just aren’t worth the money.  If you find yourself in an assignment and client neuroses suddenly emerge,  you’ll need tactics that will help you exercise some control over the situation and preserve your dignity and sanity and perhaps the client relationship as well.

The nitpicker

There are two types of nitpickers: one who is willing to pay for the time it takes to second-guess every aspect of your work and those that want to abuse your time.  The only good thing about a nitpicker is that s/he can make you more precise about your work.

Setting boundaries is the preferred defense,  but be advised that a client has every right and in fact a responsibility to scrutinize your work,  especially if this is your first project with the organization.  If your nitpicker client is OK about paying extra,  then pretend to welcome his/her suggestions and involvement.  Consider it a lesson in meeting or exceeding client expectations and building trust.  Maybe the exacting attitude stems from a previous bad experience.  Reassure the client that getting the job done right is your goal, too.

If your nitpicker does not want to pay extra for the second-guessing,  here is where the boundaries must be applied.  Allow for two revisions of your work and make it clear that beyond that,  there will be a surcharge for your services.  Consider declining future projects offered by this individual.  Going forward,  write into the contract a surcharge for revisions that you would find excessive.

The meeting maven

Meetings are useful in that stakeholders can convene to discuss the progress of the project and make any desired refinements along the way, while verifying that milestones will be met.  Progress meetings can be held periodically,  but too many are a waste of time.

In the project specs meeting,  it is useful to address the subject of progress meetings and suggest tying them to project milestones.  Include meeting time in your project fee.  It’s difficult to address the number of meetings after the fact if you encounter a meeting maven who thinks that you should not be paid extra,  or who likes to stretch meetings out to much longer than  necessary.

That client has you by the short hairs if numerous meetings are demanded,  or prescheduled meetings drag on and on.  You may need to decline future projects and chalk it up to a lesson learned.  Going forward,  anticipate the need to meet and discuss it beforehand.  Some long meetings may be beneficial to you as well as the client,  but make it known that you will be paid.

The penny-pincher

You may have been led to believe that you will work x hours/week on a project and unexpectedly,  your hours are decreased.  Or maybe the scope of your work is scaled back.  The penny-pincher’s motivation may be that s/he has second thoughts about paying an outside consultant,  or maybe there really has been a cash-flow problem.

Regardless of the agreed-upon contract that you have with this client,  s/he has the power to change certain elements and there is nothing a Freelancer can do,  except to opt out of the assignment and you may do exactly that if you have a better opportunity available.

If you do need the assignment,  make sure that the scope of the project decreases in proportion to the hours taken away.  Under no circumstances do you perform as usual,  no matter how much you may like and respect this individual.

If you can offer lower-cost alternatives that will help the client achieve certain important objectives, consider doing so.  You will be perceived as a real professional and positioned to win future assignments when cash-flow improves.  This would be a good time to ask for a referral.

Next week,  we can look at more difficult clients.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

 

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So Why Should They Hire You?

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Congratulations! A client with a big budget and a need for your kind of services has called you back for a second talk. You’re excited and a little nervous, too. There’s a lot riding on this interview—maybe this is a prestige client who will help you attract still more prestige clients? Maybe you have bills to pay and this assignment is your ticket to solvency?

Whatever your motive, acing the interview and signing the contract are paramount. Then the client throws this last-ditch, totally common and yet potentially flummoxing question at you–“Why should I hire you for this project?”

Most of us will flap our jaws aimlessly, talking about the value-added we bring, our work ethic, excellent customer service or deep expertise. All of these benefits are positive but in today’s hyper-competitive economy, a Freelancer must make a stronger case. We need to make the client salivate to have us on board.

As luck would have it, there are some good stock answers available and they will make you shine. These templates give the prospect the confidence to open the door and bring you onto the team. You maximize the impact by replying in a relaxed tone, keeping your answer clear and simple and avoiding the use of jargon.

Interview coach and author of Convince Them in 90 Seconds (2010) Nicholas Boothman suggests that you try something like this… “You know how an outside specialist has to be flexible and ready for the unpredictable? Well, I know how to adapt to changes, I have initiative and I can cover a lot of bases, so your team members will be able to concentrate on what they do best and I can take care of the other stuff that needs to get done.”

You might also try something suggested by business journalist Geoffrey James, author of Business Without the Bull (2014)…. ” You know how sometimes you can’t find top talent to bring on when you need them most? Well, I have ( x amount of) years experience in (whatever field) that will let me solve your (problem or need) and get the right solution up and running in a short time frame. When you hire my organization, you won’t have to spin your wheels searching for talent and you’ll avoid the risk of hiring the wrong person.”

Here’s a cool little retort for the Freelancer who has not seen age 35 in a few decades and it works whether one is speaking to a Baby Boomer, Gen X, or Millennial…”You know how sometimes people can get into emotional battles over how to approach a problem? One of the most important things I’ve learned over the years is how to bring these kind of conflicts to a quick resolution. If I’m on your team, you’ll not only get an experienced (name the specialty), but also someone with perspective, who can guide a team away from butting heads and toward getting the work done.”

Note that your answer positions you as the solution to the client’s problem or need and that is precisely how you want to be perceived, for that is why you will get hired. You may devise other answers that more closely reflect the circumstances of your field. Anticipate the question in advance of your next client meeting and think of scenarios that will help you answer the “Why should I hire you” question in a way that focuses on the client and how you can make his/her life easier.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Six Steps To A Successful Marketing Campaign

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Numerous times I’ve advised Freelance professionals to launch a marketing campaign to promote themselves and their services. How about we touch base regarding the core components of a successful marketing campaign?

I.   Identify your target audience

Step One, you must understand who you want your campaign to reach and influence and that would be those clients and prospects who are most inclined to use your product or service. It is possible that along the way others may become interested in what you have to offer and new or niche markets can be recruited, but target market groups must have the motive and money to use your category of product or service.

Step Two, decide the channels that you will use to reach current and prospective clients. Marketing campaigns are most effective when they broadcast the message through various media: print display ads, videos, testimonials on your website, or a case study. Social media can also be part of a well-designed marketing campaign, if you can engage current and prospective clients through those platforms. The members of your target audience could be reached more than once and that is a good thing.

There is also the indirect and ongoing marketing campaign that Freelancers are advised to conduct. Providers of B2B services especially should periodically attempt to line up an appearance on a webinar, a panel, or at a conference podium as a way to enhance the value of the intangible resources that you sell, that is, your expertise and judgment. Sponsorship of a local charity is also a good choice for some. Remember to send a press release to the local newspaper to try for yet another channel. A newspaper (or online) item is more believable than a print ad, because it is perceived as unbiased.

2.  Know the competition

As you create your marketing campaign message, keep direct competitors in mind. The marketing message should promote the expertise, experience, judgment and attributes that make you superior to others with whom clients and prospects might do business. Your message should be designed to overcome current or potential objections to you and persuade those with motive and money to choose you because hiring you will make them look good.

3.  Identify the key marketing message

What do you need to make known to current and potential clients that will help them to develop the trust and confidence needed to do business with you? Refer to your knowledge of the competition and also refer to client hot buttons and address those issues clearly and convincingly.

4.  Build the brand

In the marketing message and campaign, find ways to enhance your brand, that is, your reputation. Clients do business with those they know and like; they do even more business with those they trust and respect. Building up your image, or (tactfully) bragging about your already noteworthy image is a key element of your marketing message.

5.  Create a budget

Time and money are among our greatest resources. Once you have your version of the ideal marketing plan in draft form, calculate the financial cost and a roll-out timeline. Make sure that the campaign ROI makes sense for your venture. Tie your marketing efforts to expected sales, to the best of your ability and don’t squander your resources on fruitless strategies.

6. Track performance

I’m a little bit backward in that an important step in the campaign will be mentioned last. Establishing goals and objectives for your campaign are a must-do. This process will guide you in making decisions that shape what the campaign will consist of and furthermore, will help you understand what kind of influence you can wield through marketing. Decide what you want your marketing campaign to achieve and confirm the metrics that will measure and acknowledge its success or failure.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Freelancer Fails You Must Avoid

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Life is a gamble and there are no guarantees. Making one’s living as a Freelance consultant adds an extra measure of unpredictability. Do whatever you can to control that which you can control and lay the groundwork for success in your consultancy.  As they say, don’t shoot yourself in the foot. You will see that most of what you must do right hinges on communication, in one form or another. Here are a few unfortunate practices that will bring down even the most professionally knowledgeable and well-connected consultant:

The service does not make sense

Or, it is poorly communicated and prospective clients don’t understand the service or how to make use of it. The ability to describe one’s services, help a prospective client picture how and when it might be useful to their organization and in the process persuade the prospect that the service is valuable and the Freelancer has the skill to deliver it is how business is created. Finding your sweet spot, defining your value proposition and communicating it well, are vital.

Sometimes, clients don’t know what they need, but they know that they need help. A serendipitous meeting with such an individual could mean a contract for you and perhaps the start of an ongoing business relationship. It is hugely important to be able to effectively communicate to prospects what you do, the problems you can solve or help them avoid and goals you can help them achieve. Doing this well makes you look like an expert who can be trusted. If the money and motive are there, you will be hired.

Poor follow-up or follow-through

Whether one is a Freelancer or traditionally employed, being reliable is a must. if you promise the client that something will be completed by a given date, then do that. Answer calls and emails ASAP, ideally on the same day and most certainly within 24 hours. Even if the client has not asked a question, anticipate what information will reinforce their confidence in and confirm that you are in control and meeting expectations by checking-in and giving periodic updates. Timely communication is reassuring.

Inadequate business development

Freelance consultants are always looking for the next assignment and that may mean helping a current or past client to create that assignment. During your project work, look for additional services you might provide, while their checkbook is open. Take a past client out for coffee and see if you can get back in there, weaving in your objective as you talk about how they’re doing.

Too shy to ask for referrals

Every business needs referrals and word-of-mouth endorsements from a source perceived as trustworthy are the best. The process of obtaining a referral starts with you providing excellent service that exceeds client expectations. Timing is also a factor. Asking for a referral while on the job and definitely not while you’re presenting the final invoice, is the preferred strategy.

Making a referral for the client, either while you’re on assignment or after the fact, will make you golden and increase the chances that the favor will be repaid, if the client knows a colleague who may need your services. Knowledge of the client’s business relationships can help you to tease out a referral. If you know that the client is active in a particular business or professional association and there is a prospect in the group that you would like to meet and try to work with, tell the client that you would appreciate an introduction.

Poor billing practices

If you want to get paid, you must invoice. On some projects, it’s wise to tell the client when you will invoice. If you do so, follow the agreed-upon schedule. Late invoices annoy clients and adversely impact your cash flow and financial management as well. Always describe or itemize the services delivered in your invoice. Specify how the check should be made out, include the tax identification number,  the invoice due date and the address to which the check should be sent.

Inadequate client relationship management

Freelancers need repeat business and that means nurturing relationships is a priority. Do what can be reasonably done to keep communicating with past clients.  Definitely, send December holiday cards to all those with whom you’ve worked in the past 5 years. If you encounter an article that you suspect will be of interest to a former or current client, send an email with the link, along with a friendly message. If a past client is speaking somewhere and you can afford the time and money to attend, do so. Take notes, so that you can ask a question that will make your client look good. Attention spans are short, so it is necessary to stay on the client’s radar screen if you expect to be hired again.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Customer Data: Collecting and Utilizing

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Big data and data mining are buzzwords that have echoed frequently in the business press during the past three or four  years.   The noise level has caused business leaders to feel obligated to collect data from as many customer interactions as possible.   OK,  that’s very ambitious of them,  but now what? There is a lot of talk about big data and data mining and increasingly there is some action,  but the dust has not yet settled.  Many organizations are struggling with how to interpret,  utilize and store the copious amounts of customer data now in their possession.

Customer information is always useful,  but does data collection have meaning for small businesses and Freelance solopreneurs?  What information should a Freelancer collect and what do we do with it once we have it?  Do big data and data mining have any use for the little people?  The answer is yes,  but no.  Big data and data mining are of most use to the bigger players,  who use the costly to acquire information to fine-tune product offers to millions of current and potential customers.

Freelancers and small business owners can start with their client list.  Who has done business with you over the past five years? Who are your repeat customers?  What do they buy from you and when do they buy it?  If you have not done business with a B2B or B2G client in the past two years,  is your contact still at the organization and is s/he still in the same position? Are B2C physical and email addresses current?  Visit company websites and view the staff lists to confirm email addresses,  telephone numbers and job titles.

Customer data might give you ideas on how to improve customer service,  cause you to re-think your pricing strategy,  or help you to discover unexpected talking points for your next email marketing campaign or monthly newsletter.  Your customer data might prompt you to reconsider good customers of years past and get you thinking about how to win them back.  Updated customer information will make it easy for you to send out holiday cards in December to your B2B and B2G clients and do some relationship-building,  an important element of customer retention.

Online customer surveys that are accessible on your website and also emailed to your customer list have the potential to bring in still more useful customer data.  Learn how to devise a survey that makes it easy for customers to share the information that you want.  Keep the questions simple and don’t ask more than 10 to achieve the highest rate of participation.  Freelancers may also want to send out post-project surveys with the final invoice.

Social media outlets are another excellent source of customer data.  Social media have a way of bringing out uncensored thoughts and you might be surprised by what you learn.  Are your customers willing to engage with you on Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn or Twitter?  Will any join in a Google + Hangout and join in a voice and video live chat?

Collecting data from many touch points is potentially very useful for every business entity,  but what you make of it and do with it are what matters.  Freelancers and small business owners can use customer info to improve revenue by way of expanding billable hours or sales of current customers;  re-establishing business with lapsed customers;  new customer acquisition and relationship-building.  Small data can yield big results when properly interpreted and utilized.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

 

 

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Proposal Writing Primer

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Periodically,  a Freelance consultant must write a proposal.  Some organizations,  especially government entities,  will publicly announce that a project is available and request bids that must be submitted in proposal form.  Occasionally,  one may receive a direct request for a proposal  (RFP)  from an unknown party.  Experience will eventually teach you to not respond to a surprise RFP.  Invariably,  an unexpected RFP is sent by a phantom client who is either fishing for pricing information,  or seeking to obtain additional proposals when it has already been decided who will be hired for the project in question,  but company policy mandates that a certain number of proposals must be reviewed.

Submit proposals only after you’ve spoken with the decision-maker and received an invitation.  If you’ve set it up right,  the proposal will serve as a confirmation letter that spells out project details that have been previously discussed and agreed-upon.  See my March 26, 2013 post on unsolicited RFPs  https://freelancetheconsultantsdiary.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/the-unexpected-rfp/.

A proper invitation to write a proposal is an opportunity for you to shine.  Showcase yourself,  your brand and your expertise and write a powerful document that reveals your analytic ability,  writing ability,  practicality and creativity.

Study the requirements

If there is a written RFP,  study the requirements and make note of the submission deadline.  Is the project a good fit for your organization?  Do you have time to write a worthy proposal? If you meet with the client to discuss the project,  take good notes and confirm that you understand the goals,  specifications and expectations involved.  Do you have the expertise and resources to do the job?  Can you achieve the goals within the time frame?  Can you do the job within the budget?  Must you subcontract work out and if so,  will you be able to make a profit on the project?

Confirm the desired outcomes

Interview the client and confirm the desired and expected outcomes of the project and assess what achieving the project goals means to the organization.

Evaluate your proposed solution

Make sure that your approach to producing the deliverables will please the client.  What is the primary criterion for the proposal?  Is it speed of completion,  price,  or something else?  Present a methodology that reflects what means most to the client.

Outshine competitors

Be advised that a proposal is a sales document.  Highlight your strengths in the context of project goals and address any potential reservations that might prevent your proposal from being accepted.

Proposal must-haves

Some proposals specify that a certain format must be followed.  If there is no such rule,  include the following elements:

  • Give an overview of the current situation that has given rise to the need for the project.
  • State the goals of the project,  expected outcomes or deliverables.
  • Describe why you and your organization are uniquely qualified to successfully complete the project.
  • Describe your proposed methodology for achieving the aims of the project.
  • Explain the timeline and cost  (the justification of your proposed fee).
  • Describe the benefits associated with achieving the project goals,  outcomes,  or deliverables.

Finally,  make sure that your proposal addresses all elements of the RFP or client needs.   Check your spelling and grammar.  Go on-line and view examples of proposals;  find a format that visually communicates you and your brand and make that your template .  If hard copy must be submitted,   print your document on good paper stock.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

 

 

 

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Business Meeting Etiquette

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We are now on the other side of Memorial Day Weekend.  For many Freelance consultants,  the start of Summer means that work assignments wrap up and one wonders not only how to make good use of time,  but also how to create the conditions for a profitable September and fourth quarter.  Over the years,  I’ve found that a surprising number of decision-makers are also less busy in Summer and are therefore more amenable to scheduling a meeting with me.

On the other hand,  you may be very busy working with a client who must have a certain initiative up and running right after Labor Day.  You may be leading a team and thus responsible for achieving milestones,  disseminating information and maintaining team member enthusiasm and focus during steamy Summer days,  all of which will cause you to occasionally schedule meetings.

Regardless of your motive,  take steps to ensure that your meetings are perceived as worthwhile by those who attend.  Define a clear purpose and use that to create an agenda.  If you are a project leader,  you must identify questions that need answers,  confront current or potential roadblocks,  or possibly evaluate the need to make adjustments to the project scope or its time-table.  Next,  decide who should attend and begin the scheduling process.  Invite only the stakeholders: those who are carrying out the project,  the project sponsor and those who will be directly impacted by its outcomes.

To win a client meeting,  your agenda is to articulate the value of what you propose and convince the prospect to meet with you and ultimately,  offer you a contract.  A telephone call in which you propose a meeting is the simplest approach,  unless you can arrange to  “accidentally” encounter him/her at some location and  make an in-person request.

When bringing together your team,  a group email is the preferred method of contact and within it state the purpose of the meeting;  who will be asked to present;  any materials that team members should bring along;  and the expected length of the meeting.  In both scenarios,  offer two or three possible date/time options.  When a date has been chosen,  immediately send a confirmation email and reconfirm 24-48 hours before the meeting date,  with an agenda and relevant reports attached for the team meeting.

Set a good tone by opening your meeting no more than 5 minutes after the official start-time and by warmly greeting participants and thanking them for attending.  Remember at the start to properly introduce any guests or anyone who is new to the team,  stating proper names,  job titles and role on the project.  Have hard copies of the agenda and any meeting materials available for each attendee,  no matter that those were sent with the confirmation email.

Move through the agenda items and get resolution on each one,  even if that means follow-up is needed.  Encourage attendees to participate and enforce good manners.   Make certain that no one gets shouted down and that everyone who would like to contribute gets a respectful hearing.  Ask that only one person speak at a time and that those who would like to speak first raise their hand to be recognized by you,  the presider.   End the meeting on time,  unless participants agree to stay longer to complete unfinished items.

If the meeting is held in a restaurant,   you called the meeting and you pay the bill.  If you are a consulting project team leader,  confirm reimbursement procedures with your company contact in advance.  If you meet with a client,  arrive at the restaurant 15 minutes early and arrange a discreet payment protocol with the host,  so that an awkward moment is avoided.

Enlist a meeting note taker,  or take them yourself.   Within 72 hours after the meeting,  send to all participants a draft copy of the notes and invite corrections.  When corrections have been made,  send the final copy to all who attended and also to the project sponsor,   whether or not s/he attended.  If meeting with a client,  send a thank you letter that is hard copy or an email,   in which you document any agreements and action items.  Make sure that all meeting participants carry through with their follow-up commitments in a timely fashion.

Happy Summer and thanks for reading,

Kim

Professional Development , , , , Leave a comment

I, Consultant: Value-Added

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Solopreneur consultants and other business owners are always selling,  sometimes overtly and other times discreetly.  To sell effectively,  we must understand and articulate the reasons that clients hire us.  We need selling points at our fingertips and as as always,  it is necessary to adopt the prospective client’s point-of-view.  Why would an organization leader hire me?  What is my value-added?

1. You provide expertise.

Convince prospective clients that you possess the know-how that organization staff members lack.  Let them know that you have the answers  (without revealing specific solutions before you sign a contract).  A high-ranking job title acquired in previous employment confers to you significant credibility.  Well-known clients confer significant credibility.  Speaking engagements at prestige venues,  especially if you met the prospective client there,  inspire confidence.  Blogs,  newsletters and social media serve to support one of the above,  but neither alone nor in aggregate will they convince an important client to hire you (unless you get enormously lucky).

2. You identify problems or gaps.

The ability to quickly and accurately grasp the big picture is essential.  Nevertheless,  be advised that the client may not appreciate hearing the truth.  Be diplomatic in how you bring problems to the client’s attention.

3. You supplement the company’s permanent staff’.

Downsized workforces became a fact of life in the early 1990s and nearly every for-profit and not-for-profit organization is under-staffed.  Big companies can often afford to hire and would be wise to hire,  but company leaders would rather keep payrolls light.  The loss of productivity that under-staffing causes does not show up in an income statement,  at least if acceptable top-line growth occurs.  All organizations have been hit hard by health insurance and other operating costs.  Consultants are hired to fill in the labor gaps because we do not receive benefits of any kind and when the project has been completed,  we leave.

4. You introduce change.

For political reasons,  it may be easier to call in a consultant to implement changes that management would like to make.  The consultant is better equipped to defuse or prevent any push-back or sabotage,  because he/she is a neutral party.

5. You provide training for staff.

Maybe you once ran a sales department and you will provide sales training,  or you ran the human resources department and you’re hired to conduct team-building or diversity workshops.

6. You assist with a turn-around.

This assignment could start with a request to facilitate a strategy planning session.  Vision-Mission-Values,  or Goals-Objectives-Strategies-Action Plans will drive the turn-around.  You ensure that there is follow-through,  enthusiasm and support for the plan and that achievement of milestones and other successes are communicated throughout the organization and celebrated.

7. You assist with a new product (or service) launch.

You may do market research and confirm the prospects for the product or service and discover or confirm key target markets and their expected dollar potential.  You may take an active role in the launch,  joining with the marketing team to define the primary marketing message,  timing of the product roll-out,  formulate the advertising strategy and approve the PR strategy.

Finally,  independent consultants must pay particular attention to how we will obtain clients.  That process forms the heart of our business model.  Speak with friends and colleagues who are highly placed within industries where you expect to work and figure out if projects can at least occasionally be awarded to you.  Further,  if you work with your employer’s clients,  inform your very best friends of your plan and discreetly recruit at least one or two to follow you.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Business Strategy, Marketing , , , Leave a comment

Case Study and Client Success Story

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It is cause for celebration when your Freelance consulting expertise helps a client to achieve important objectives.  In previous postings I’ve recommended that you add to your website,  LinkedIn or Google +  sites case studies,  which are client success stories,  to demonstrate how you work with clients and the excellent outcomes that are realized when you arrive on the scene.

Business strategy development,  facilitation of business strategy meetings and marketing campaign development  (that is sometimes the result of a business strategy meeting that I’ve facilitated)  are my consulting specialties.  Special event and conference planning,  along with event marketing PR,  is an important niche market.  Also,  I develop curriculum and present workshops in business plan writing,  sales skills training and networking skills training.   My client list consists of small and medium-sized for-profit and not-for-profit organizations and except for teaching,  I connect with clients through referrals and personal introductions.

"Cooling Water"

“Cooling Water”

In November 2011,  a friend introduced me to the artist.  She is mixed-media collage painter and occasionally,  she sculpts brightly colored decorative bowls.  Her work had been featured in a small local museum that is far from the tourist areas and in solo or group shows in modest art galleries.  Over the years,  the artist had received several opportunities to enhance her career,  but she was often unable to follow-up and many slipped through her fingers.  Members of the creative class tend to have little energy available for business strategy and marketing.

She sold a few original paintings and her prints and decorative bowls sold reasonably well,  as did the greeting cards that featured images of her paintings.  The artist had recently earned a career victory,  when she was named the coordinator for a community arts initiative that is based at her alma mater.  She asked to meet with me.

We discussed her primary goal,  identified potentially promising opportunities and made a list of objectives that would serve as milestones.  Solo and group shows at more prestigious galleries,  an exciting offer to illustrate a children’s book published by a small local house and the formal launch of the arts project of which is coordinator were the defining objectives.

A business strategy and marketing campaign that would guide her choice of projects to accept or pursue,  to advance the primary goal of upgrading her brand and attracting higher-end collectors,  was developed and implemented.  Integral to the campaign was a revised marketing message and PR communications strategy.

The ArtMobile encourages local children to be creative

The ArtMobile encourages children’s creativity

Good results came quickly and serendipitous fortune appeared.  The university agreed to sponsor a big launch party for the arts project.  Outreach to the local cable television network led to the artist’s appearance on a talk show.  Two gallery shows were scheduled and offers for two more came in,  when gallerists who had been acquainted with her work,  but had not been moved to offer her a show,  learned of her affiliation with the community arts project.

One of those galleries is located in Martha’s Vineyard,  in the town where the President and First Lady,  who are known to be art lovers,  vacation.  The artist’s paintings sold well in Summer 2012 and she was invited to show her work there again this summer.  We have our fingers crossed and hope that the Obamas visit the gallery.

To review and evaluate the book illustration contract,  I referred to the artist an acquaintance of mine who is an intellectual property attorney and he gave the thumbs-up.  Because the book is based on a historical figure,  the artist felt that period research would be essential to her creative process.

I contacted a local college that has a well-regarded library and information science master’s degree program.  Within two weeks,  I was able to speak with four potential candidates who both concentrate on that period and have an interest in art.  I sent them to the artist for interviews and she hired two: one to perform research for the book and the other to catalogue her archive of paintings.

On the evening of July 3,  the artist hosted a large opening reception and birthday party at a restaurant that is now displaying several of her prints.  I contacted a pastry chef and asked him to create a special cake for the occasion,  a cake that depicted one of the artist’s paintings in butter cream frosting.  He chose to portray  “Never Walk Alone”.  A local newspaper was contacted and the editor sent a photographer.  Guests were wowed by the cake.  It was beautiful to behold and delicious!

The artist and the pastry chef

The artist, the pastry chef and the cake

The crowning milestone achievement was reached on July 16, 2013,  when the artist was sworn in as a committee member of the Boston Arts Commission,  a 123-year-old agency that chooses the art that will be displayed on City of Boston property.  This prestigious honor is a 5 year appointment.  The artist was nominated for the appointment by the arts association in the neighborhood where she has lived since childhood.  She leads art walk tours that highlight the distinctive architecture,  cultural institutions and public art in her neighborhood.

Swearing-in at the Boston Arts Commission

Swearing-in at the Boston Arts Commission

Signing appointment documents

Signing her appointment documents

Thanks for reading,

Kim