| Most consultants are like cab drivers. Cab | | | | listeners. They're DEEP listeners. "Good" |
| drivers run the meter. They throw the luggage | | | | listeners use surface tricks and techniques |
| in the trunk (that's a $1.00 bag charge). | | | | like "active listening" and "matching and |
| They may or may not be personable. If you | | | | mirroring." Deep listeners listen with no |
| have extra passengers, that's $1.50 each on | | | | agenda. Your listening focus should be on |
| top of the mileage. No smoking. And the radio | | | | empathy - literally "feeling WITH" the client |
| is tuned to their favorite station - not | | | | - and understanding the issues behind the |
| yours.Most consultants charge by the hour or | | | | issues. This isn't a trick you learn in |
| the day. The meter is running. When you need | | | | "consulting school." This comes from your |
| a special report or their attendance at an | | | | heart and your genuine interest in helping |
| onsite meeting, there's your bag charge. They | | | | the client improve their situation. Deep |
| may or may not be personable to anyone other | | | | listening will help you understand the real |
| than the executive who hired them. If you | | | | value that the client seeks from you.3. |
| need additional work or facilitation or | | | | Successful consultants are easy to do |
| expertise, there's a fee "on top of the | | | | business with. One of the world's finest |
| mileage." And most times, you're locked into | | | | consultants, Alan Weiss, says in his book |
| their "radio station" - tuned to their | | | | Million Dollar Consulting, "you have to spend |
| methodologies, their licensed tools, their | | | | money to make money." Part of that money |
| processes - not yours.What if you came across | | | | should be spent on things that will make you |
| a dramatically different kind of cab driver? | | | | easy to do business with. Some of these |
| Let's call him Ike.1. Ike has his own | | | | things are almost trivial - being able to |
| business card with his personal cell phone | | | | accept credit cards, having an 800 number, |
| number, a rocket logo and a humorous tagline, | | | | etc. And some of these things will be a major |
| such as "Strap in. Hang on. Here we go!" One | | | | investment of time, effort, thought, and |
| of his cab's notable features is the Hot | | | | energy. Like designing a resource-rich web |
| Wheels steering wheel cover. Your initial | | | | presence or moving to value-based fee-setting |
| impression might be that he is direct and, | | | | so people get you and your expertise without |
| most importantly, fast.2. In addition, Ike is | | | | concern over when you punch in and out on the |
| a great listener. This would be in contrast | | | | time clock.4. Successful consultants are |
| to some "real character" cab drivers, who are | | | | proactive and offer suggestions. Flexibility |
| great talkers.3. Ike takes credit cards and | | | | is a great source of strength. So is forward |
| proudly displays the Visa and American | | | | movement. When consulting with large |
| Express decals inside his cab. A credit card | | | | organizations, it is easy to fall into their |
| transaction costs him between 2 and 4% of | | | | trap of "analysis paralysis." Especially with |
| every sale. (The cab company does NOT | | | | all the hype around "getting close to the |
| subsidize this fee - it's up to each | | | | customer." The danger for consultants in |
| individual driver to decide whether to accept | | | | getting too close to the customer is that |
| credit cards or not.) But it also makes him | | | | you'll get mired in the same quicksand you've |
| easy to do business with - and, | | | | been brought in to rescue them from! Keep |
| coincidentally, increases the likelihood of | | | | moving, and always offer options. It could be |
| getting a nice tip.4. Ike is proactive and | | | | as simple as "Plan A or B or C," but giving |
| offers suggestions. For example, when a | | | | choices always enhances collaboration and |
| passenger asks Ike for a good restaurant | | | | provides a sense of shared responsibility for |
| recommendation, he has a few of his favorite | | | | outcomes. And it's harder to say "No" when |
| places in mind and a restaurant guide | | | | asked "Chocolate or Vanilla or Strawberry?" |
| available right in the front seat of the cab. | | | | Ideally, your clients will say "Wow, they ALL |
| Ike will offer to take his passenger to the | | | | sound delicious." Then you are in a position |
| restaurant, and also to come back at an | | | | to make a recommendation based on your deep |
| appointed time to save the hassle of tracking | | | | listening (See #2!)5. Successful consultants |
| down another cab. He is never late. Does Ike | | | | work from passion, knowledge, and eagerness |
| profit from this? Sure. Does Ike's passenger? | | | | to help. The irony of this is that the more |
| Sure. Will some cab drivers refuse to come | | | | easy and effortless the work for the |
| back at a set time for fear of losing a | | | | consultant, the greater the value it has for |
| juicier fare or a longer ride that may or may | | | | the client. For the consultant, the |
| not come along? You bet.5. When picking up or | | | | intersection of joy and business is called |
| dropping off from the airport, Ike always | | | | profit. Marketer, speaker, and author Seth |
| finds out a little bit about his passenger. | | | | Godin believes that in any business |
| Is this his first time in town? How long is | | | | relationship, the sooner you ask for money, |
| his visit? If Ike discovers that his | | | | the less you will get. This has interesting |
| passenger has come for business and hasn't | | | | implications for the consulting business, |
| any time to see the sights or experience the | | | | where knowledge and expertise (and to a |
| city, he offers to take the passenger on a | | | | certain extent, even conversation) has |
| 10-minute sightseeing tour of downtown. | | | | monetary value.I happen to believe in the |
| Pointing out the highlights, sharing a little | | | | concept of value-first selling. In other |
| history, and telling a few stories, Ike has | | | | words, you should give clients valuable |
| his passenger back on his way with a real | | | | information and point them to resources they |
| flavor of the city that he loves. Is this a | | | | need, even before you're hired. You should |
| gimmick to add 10 minutes to the meter? With | | | | work to make prospects think, "Wow, this guy |
| some cabbies, it might be. But Ike's passion | | | | is a goldmine. Imagine what we'd get if we |
| and knowledge and eagerness to share it with | | | | actually HIRED him."Now a lot of sales and |
| his passengers cannot be faked. Would a | | | | consulting experts call this "spilling the |
| friend do the same for you on your way out of | | | | candy in the lobby" and they advise strongly |
| town? Absolutely.Let's turn our focus to the | | | | against it. And I would advise against it too |
| lessons for consulting. Feel free to compare | | | | - if you're only carrying one bowl of candy. |
| these consulting tips with the corresponding | | | | But without bragging, I can safely say that |
| lessons from the taxi business above.1. | | | | among great consultants (people who work at |
| Successful consultants stand apart - both in | | | | the intersection of passion and knowledge and |
| form and in substance. Sales trainer, | | | | eagerness to help), we're a veritable candy |
| consultant, and author Jeffrey Gitomer uses a | | | | store and are not likely to run out anytime |
| half-dollar sized coin with his image and | | | | soon by sharing our gifts with clients that |
| contact information (and some clever slogans | | | | are hungry for what we have to offer.Would |
| like "In Sales We Trust") engraved on it as | | | | you help a friend with your knowledge and |
| his business card. People not only remember | | | | expertise? Sure you would. Perhaps clients |
| it, they keep it and they show it to their | | | | are simply friends that pay you money? Think |
| friends. Your initial impression might be | | | | about it.Beep, beep. "Hop in!"Marketing and |
| that he is successful, funny, creative, and | | | | innovation expert David Newman has written 8 |
| different than every other "me-too" sales | | | | books and has been quoted in dozens of |
| trainer wearing a nice suit and carrying | | | | national media outlets. David is also a |
| sharp white business cards (yawn).2. | | | | sought-after speaker and seminar leader. |
| Successful consultants are not good | | | | Visit for more free articles and resources. |