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Consulting in a Recession:
8 Easy Steps for Getting New Business Fast!

Lorna Barrow
Learning Solution Specialist
Transformational Speaker
Founder - Impact Training & Dev. Services
 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

Introduction

I’m sure when you decided to be a consultant you had a picture in your head of
being your own boss, controlling your own destiny, travelling the world. And for a
while you got it.

Then came the recession. Suddenly, managing yourself was more difficult than
managing the 22-member Sales Department in your last job, your own destiny
belonged to somebody else and travelling the world? Oh yes! By computer, not by
air!

Recessions are not kind to consultants by any stretch of the consulting

imagination. Did you notice that the areas in which you clients (existing and
potential) cut back their spending are the ones in which you have so selectively
chosen to consult.

And if that’s not bad enough, we’re seldom counted in the unemployment figures
or in many of the other macro-economic indicators that make up the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP). Truth is though, I don’t mind being left out of the GDP
because I have a problem with the components anyhow!

Just when I thought it was a single-digit recession (me alone!) I saw an on-line
discussion that asked “What are the most effective approaches to winning new
consulting business in the present economic environment?”

I was about to give a knee-jerk response when I thought you know what? I owe it
to my consulting colleagues to provide a more focused answer that would really
be useful and inspiring.

It just so happened that I was in between clients and so I produced this free
report. I hope that you find at least one tip that you can use.

So turn the pages and let’s begin…

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

Step # 1 – Get focused

In economics, a recession is a contraction in economic activity over several

months or years. Since it comes at the end of a boom, you would have realized by
now that it one of the cycles of the economy.

So what can you do? Cycles happen. But they are usually followed by a period of
boom. So don’t panic. Get focused. Focus is the ability to center your attention on
something such as a goal, project, opportunity etc and that’s just what you should
do. Here are a few tips to help.

1. Examine your current situation truthfully and rationally and write down
what are your current challenges to making the money you want to make.
Don’t be afraid to include things like “not enough confidence” or “dislike of
marketing myself.” In boom times these factors can hide behind the open
pockets of clients but in recessions, they are right in your face.

2. Write down what your success would look and feel like. Don’t limit
yourself but be realistic.

3. Determine what you will have to do to bridge the gap between where you
are your success point. Whatever you read or saw in the secret, I’m saying
to you, you have to take “inspired” action. Nothing will work unless you
remove your royal rear-end from its seductive seat of comfort and find the
tools to reach for what you want.

4. Take action! This is not the time to suffer from “analysis paralysis.” Every
day, do something outside your comfort zone to help you find clients. I do.
At first, I had to keep putting my heart back in my chest but after a while,
not only did it remain in place, it became as excited as I had at the thought
of doing something new for my business.

Now that we’ve established our focus, the other tips are practical things that you
can do right away to help you make more recessionary money. Just remember
that I am not asking you to do anything that I have not done myself.

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

Step # 2 – Begin prospecting at home

Every consultant has a client list. You have one, I have one. The difference
between them might be that mine is not just a list of names and contact
information.
Mine is a spreadsheet that also includes how I met the client, what I’m doing or
did for the client, what I learnt and how much money I made from each client,
directly or through their referrals. I also include those to whom I donate my
services. This helps me to maintain my ratio of free to paid services.
Whenever I want to begin a marketing campaign, yep, you guessed it! I bring up
my list and I do several things:
1. Remind myself which methods were most effective in bringing me clients
and design what I affectionately call a CCC (Client Collection Campaign)
around two or three of these methods. Also, this forces you to consistently
focus on the 'critically few' activities that produce exponential results.

2. Ask for referrals from among my “homies” starting with my volunteers.

This is a good place to start because they recognize without my telling them
that this is the best way to say “thank you” so the returns are high with this
approach.

3. Apart from keeping in contact with your clients on a regular basis, arrange
something free for your top 10 – 15 “high-end” clients and ask them to
bring a colleague, friend, partner, etc who has not been previously exposed
to your services. This may be a short seminar or “How to” workshop on
something that is a pain point for the client and potential clients.

Hint: Work with clients and organization to get sponsorship

for the event. E.g. venue, catering. This leads to
You existing opportunities for cooperation that many times results
clients are you in new business as well. Moreover, it also gives you a
chance to promote another business which is such a
best source of
good feeling!
new business

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

Step # 3 – Learn how to market your business and yourself

Most consultants offer a service. A service can be defined several ways:

a) Some work or activity performed by a person or group of persons (org) on

behalf of another person (usually) in return for pay

b) “an approach to doing business that adds value to the process by helping
the customer to get the results he or she wants.

c) the way by which you emotionally connect customers to your business.

The important thing to note is that a service is not physical like a product. You
cannot touch it (or return it if you are not satisfied!)and it needs you to be part of
the delivery process. Therefore, trying to market your services as a consultant
without marketing yourself is not a good idea unless you are a big firm.

In other words, you must market your business and yourself together. You will
find that the things you do to market your business cannot be meaningfully
separated from marketing yourself.

Now the question is “What is marketing?” I know you have seen those long
technical definitions but for me and you, right here between these pages, it’s any
and every thing you do to bring your services and yourself to the attention of the
customer. So as a consultant, how do you approach marketing?

Do a little marketing each day. I know. I can hear you now. Marketing isn't my
"thing!" So why must I do it every day? There was a time when marketing wasn’t
my thing either and business started to disappear. Survival demanded that I
embrace marketing and fast. So I learnt to do something to market my business
everyday and now it’s just part of who I am.

So what can you do today? Write an article for your newsletter or an ezine.
Update your website. Post something on Linkedin. Write a Free Report and
distribute it. (Go to http://www.itds-training.com and download all of my free
reports.) Contact a potential joint venture partner and set up a meeting.

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

Do something, anything! Even if it’s only for 15 minutes each day. Not only will
you be marketing, you will also experience a wonderful sense of control over your
business and yourself.

If business is slow right now and you're nervous about the economy, I want you
to take a deep breath and RE-FOCUS. Use this time to transform how you market
your business and yourself and I promise you, you will transform your business.

Step # 4 – Position yourself as an expert

When I came across my first Best Sellers List, I had already read some of the
books on that list and had written them off as a WoT (Waste of Time). I then felt
that I was out of order because certainly, intelligent people had compiled these
lists.

As time went on, I learnt that “best seller” was not the same as “best writer.”
Some “best writers” will not always make it to the Best Sellers List because they
are not “Best Marketers.”

To me, positioning yourself as an expert is much like being a “best writer” who is
also a “best seller.” When you position yourself clearly as an expert, you will begin
to attract top clients in your niche. You don’t have to be the leading expert but
you do have to build up a breadth and depth of knowledge in the industry or
niche you have chosen.

The question is how do you become an expert?

First of all, you have to have clearly identified your niche. You have, haven’t you?
Great! Here are a few approaches that are working for me.

1. Learn to give advice. Too many consultants want to provide information.

What clients want from consultants is advice based on their skills,
knowledge and experience to help them get to where they want fast.
Remember:
As a consultant, the big bucks are in the
quality of your advice

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

2. Write in your area of expertise. This is one of the fastest ways to establish
yourself as an expert and blogging is a good place to start. I have two
blogs. Lorna's Business Box provides advice on issues related to niche and
client needs and Lorna@Large offers the unique views of my creative mind.

Write articles for ezines. Again, in your area of expertise. If you go to ITDS
and click on the “Ezine Expert Author” button, you will see examples of
articles that you can write. It's really strange and I can’t explain it but as
soon as your name is seen in print, your 'expert' status automatically jumps
up several notches.

Place well thought out and helpful comments on forums or other blogs.
You will see me on Linkedin discussions and as a matter of fact, this idea for
this report came about from such a discussion.

3. Get yourself invited to speak. Don’t chicken out on me now! What do you
mean you hate public speaking? Forget the stats you read about fear of
public speaking. They weren’t talking about you, you are special, you are in
the minority who wants to speak in public. If you want assistance, go to My
Purchase Zone, you will find resources to help you.

Ask to speak at not-for-profit events to start you off. Write a great intro
that succinctly portrays who you are and what you do and make sure
organizers of events use it to introduce you.

Share valuable information but this is not the time to hard sell. If you are
Make time to be available after the talk to answer questions in more depth
and to make connections.

4. Continuously develop yourself. In terms of the self-employed business

person, it means constantly updating your knowledge not only about your
business specifics but about the industry you’re in, about the business
environment and about the business of being in business. It also means
concentrating on your own self-development.

In addition to acquiring skills and knowledge, it is necessary to “learn how

to learn” in order to cope with the continuous and radical changes in the
work environment. Want a reminder on how to do this? Click on Free Zone

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

and access the report on Continuous Professional Development which I

have written just for you.

5. Learn the art of story-telling. I’m not asking you to be a strolling minstrel
but having a collection of stories and knowing when and how to tell them
have many advantages when you’re establishing yourself as an expert.
Among other things, they will help you to:

 explain who you are

 explain your authority – why should anyone listen to you?
 show you’re just like the audience/clients you are trying to reach
 bond against a common challenge
 make yourself more human and believable
 share your point of view

You can use stories everywhere – speeches, training, blogs, articles, anywhere!

Step # 5 – Give away stuff for free

I – really – mean – that! I’ve seen and heard all the discussions and information to
the contrary but I don’t agree. Earlier this year, I wrote a free report and sent it
out to my list. One person receiving the report bought over $10,000 worth of
services from me. This more than covered the cost of the report and bought me
some breathing space form my creditors.
Not convinced? At least three times during the year, I arrange something called a
“Learning Festival” an event where I invite members of a “select” public to 12
hours of free learning. It’s really a celebration of learning! If you want to know
how to do something similar, drop me an e-mail at [email protected]
with the subject line “Learning Festival.”
Anyhow, the bottom line is, whenever I arrange a Learning Festival, I have gained
business, especially consulting and coaching, where the money is.
Tell me that you don’t buy your perfumes, aftershaves, colognes and cosmetics at
the stores that give the most samples! Giving away samples of your service works
the same way. Furthermore, I’ve attracted joint venture partners, invitations to
speak, and unexpected opportunities when giving away my services.

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

What can you give away? Try:

 A newsletter with really good information that is useful to your niche. Mine
is coming soon.

 Tips written by you, via your website. (by the way, you do have a website,
do you?)and some written by others colleagues.

 Free reports like the one you’re reading now. These are my favourite. I get
a chance to put my thoughts down, practice my writing and to share it with
everybody. I just love that.
Not convinced? Put it to the test. Start giving away today. Right now, actually.

Step # 6 – Network and Connect

You must have seen them. Or worse, been one of their victims. You know what
I’m talking about. Those persons who are at business events giving out business
cards like teenagers giving out flyers on the street corner for a big corporation.
To me that’s not networking!
Neither is collecting a whole heap of names, adding them to your address book
and waiting until you need something that you think they can bring you. That’s
using!

Networking is more like connecting and listening is the key, backed by a genuine
interest in the person. I want to find out what motivates them, what are they
passionate about, what are their challenges.

When we find common ground between us I like to start a relationship by working

on something outside of our respective businesses which we’re both passionate
about. This helps us to build trust through a non-threatening relationship and to
‘suss out” each other’s strength and weaknesses under “natural” conditions.

The best advice I’ve ever hear on connecting is given By Mary Ellen Tribby,
Founder of Working Moms Only. She says:

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

Cultivate your connection the way you would Don’t Forget:

any relationship: You need to project an
image of warmth, approachability, When you connect through
understanding, knowledge, and empathy. Be networking, you will create
genuine. You should take an interest in a network you can brag
everyone you meet, remember their names, about and people will envy.
and listen carefully to them. Try to You will attract the best
understand their needs and determine how people in your industry and
you could assist each other. Building trust is a they will do anything for you
vital component of relationship building. Be and of course, you must be
relaxed and stay interested. willing to do the same for

Step # 7 – Develop a second income stream

This is not as difficult as you may think. You have the choice to maybe look at
something you currently do for sheer pleasure and to make a business of it or
look at your existing business.

For example, I hike every Sunday and I am seriously looking at how I can turn that
passion into a business.

Looking at your existing business, you can develop some product around your
service and vice versa and you can also deepen or widen your existing services.

For example, I am developing handbooks based on my training programmes

which I can sell on and off line. I am also offering one-on-one or small-group
coaching as a natural follow-up to large group training.

You can also look at the different ways to “bundle” your services and products so
that you can offer an irresistible bargain to your clients.

Now that I have whetted your appetite, expand your mind and you will come up
with some really great ideas to make extra money but you have to TAKE ACTION
on at least one!

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

Step # 8 - Take care of yourself

Take care of yourself. No one will do it for you and your well-being is critical to
your success. When you work alone or lead a high-powered team in a fast-paced
environment, you have to be healthy on all fronts.
Take care of your physical self. As well as eating properly, physical exercise is
important. You don’t have to go to a gym 3 times a week or hike 7 - 10 miles
nearly every Sunday as I do. But at least start to walk consistently, join a line
dancing class, do some pilates, play tennis or squash, but please get physical.
When I don’t do some type of physical exercise for more than a week, I feel
miserable, my energy levels drop and my mental picture of my future changes
from bright to uncertain.
Take care of your mental health. Mental health is a core condition for overall
health. It is necessary to lead a happy and productive life, to form healthy
relationships, and to successfully adjust to change and overcome difficulties.
Mental health can be compromised in varying degrees, from “having a bad day”
to living with a mental disorder or feeling suicidal.

So protect your mental health from you. Here are a few tips:

 Look for the opportunity in every problem instead of searching for the
problem in every opportunity

 Listen, listen and really listen. In our house we remind ourselves that you
have two ears and one mouth so that you can listen twice as much as you
speak. So don’t talk past yourself. Your best opportunities will come
through your ears.

 Develop good habits. They are so mentally rewarding.

 Break complex things down into bite-sized pieces so that when you tackle
them, you will really not bite off more than you can chew. This reduces the
feeling of overwhelm and keeps you mentally healthy.

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

Take care of your spiritual health. For me the spirit is the place where I go
constantly for strength to help me to face just about everything. By now you must
know how to get in touch with your spirit, but I find that having faith that there is
a power greater than me that I can call on is the most powerful force that keeps
me moving forward.

Accepting that nothing lasts forever ( including recessions), taking inspired action,
having faith that all will be well and applying courage to living instead of fear is a
serious arsenal in your war against negative thinking!

Final thoughts…

Phew! I have shared my 8 top tips for winning new consulting business in a
recession. Now that I’ve finished, I’m beginning to think that I must be always in
recession because what I’ve shared with you is the way I live my “consulting” life
all the time.

I believe that approaching business in this way consistently, will not make the
recession go away but it will certainly smoothen out the economic fluctuations.

And now for my single greatest piece of recessionary advice:

Have a life! Business and making money are important but your life is the sum
total of your experiences. Go out and create experiences and have adventures so
you can come back to your business renewed and inspired for your next big
money making project!

Promise?

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 Consulting in a Recession: 8 Easy Steps For Getting Business Fast!

About the Author

Lorna Barrow is an Author, Entrepreneur, Transformational

Speaker and Founder of Impact Training & Development
Services (ITDS) which specializing in providing training and Impact Training &
development solutions for organizations and individuals Development Services
wherever they exist..
At ITDS, You’re at the core
of our solutions!

Lorna is passionate about life and lives it on her own terms. *We provide several free
Her home base is the beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados reports packed with real
from where she connects with the rest of the world. She valuable information.
believes that you owe it to yourself to consciously create the
life you want rather than living the one you believe you
*We have created two
inherited.
handbooks and made them
available for a fraction of
the cost and we’re
Along with serving her clients, Lorna goes to the gym at least developing others.
3 times a week, hikes on Sundays with the Barbados
National Trust, teaches leadership skills to the 8 – 11year
group at Phoenix Academy and leads her mastermind, *Now we have produced
Visions Unlimited. this free report in an
exciting area, just to help
you get through the 2010
recession. Why?
Now she has seriously put “fingers to keyboard” to bring
many, many wonderful resources which you can use to make You’re at the core of our
life easier, happier or even wealthier. solutions!
www.itds-training.com

solutions@itds-
Lorna Barrow can be found in cyberspace at www.itds- training.com
training.com or e-mail [email protected].

When you are on earthspace you may prefer to call (246)

234-8360

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