Numerous coaches in my life have all said, “No pain, no gain.”
They were physical coaches. They were talking about my body. The brain discussion was always about handling or overcoming the pain.
But pain isn’t always physical.
Brain Pain
Your clients may exhibit this phenomenon. If they don’t you may not be doing your job as well as you should. Yes, I know that your intent is to lessen their pain by solving their problem. But sometimes you need to give them some pain to provide a longer-term solution.
The path to Legendary
There is a path every consultant must walk. The stepping-stones are:
- Memorable
- Unforgettable
- Indispensable
- Legendary
Memorable
In today’s world awareness of who you are is critical to staying engaged with clients. One client, plus another and yet another until you have an ongoing string of them. How you identify yourself, the words you use to tell strangers what you do are critical to your success. The more unique your identity, the more memorable you can be. Sometimes it pays to be controversial. A little pain can connect you to potential gain.
“Controversial gets you seen.
Results gets you paid.”
Unforgettable
This second stepping-stone is directly linked to what you deliver. Every step of your interaction with a contact from initial meeting to agreeing to work together to fulfilling the promise of the engagement is judged by what you bring to the partnership. Everything you bring.
The style you show whether chic, understated elegance, or casual competence all get linked to outcomes.
Your way of speaking whether it is “cut to the chase” or a meandering walk through the maze of the difficulty becomes a part of how you are regarded.
How you interpret data, analyze it and compare it to best practices becomes part and parcel of your persona.
The relationship you build with contacts, prospects, clients and referral sources become an immutable part of how they position you in their recommendations.
“Controversial gets you seen.
Results gets you paid.
Relationships get you referred”
Indispensable
One step further occurs when an engagement turns into an ongoing, often retainer-based, agreement to take on the role of continuing advisor for the client. This may range from on-call to regular hours or attendance at specific scheduled meetings.
You are indispensable when you deliver desired brain pain. It may be the sting of sweeping current analytics aside. It could be the twinge of long-term weakness revealed by analysis. It might be the agony of finding a new way of doing business in the face of an unexpected pandemic.
The point is: you are supplying a way of thinking that is not currently available in the organization.
“Controversial gets you seen.
Results gets you paid.
Relationships get you referred
A different slant makes you a star”
Legendary
The singular difference of a Legendary Consultant is that they change the way their clients think. The consultant’s way of approaching a problem becomes the standard for client executives. Your practices become best practices for that organization and its leadership.
Based on publication of your results and what underpins them a broader audience adopts your approach and puts you in this category reserved for only a few.
“Controversial gets you seen.
Results gets you paid.
Relationships get you referred
A different slant makes you a star
Imbuing wisdom gets renown.”
And so it goes.
Jerry Fletcher is a sought-after International Speaker, a beBee ambassador, founder and CEO of Z-axis Marketing, Inc.
His consulting practice, founded in 1990, is known for on and off-line Trust-based Consultant Marketing advice that builds businesses, brands and lives of joy.
Consulting: www.JerryFletcher.com
Speaking: www.NetworkingNinja.com