If you’re a consultant who wants to launch a new service offering in 2025, I can definitely help you think through this. You might be incredibly excited about developing a specific service, or you might just be sensing that you need something new or different to offer your clients in the new year.
Regarding business consulting, you might say that I’ve been there, done that, and have the T-shirt(s). In a past life, I was employed by Deloitte, KPMG, and Arthur Andersen. I was also a contractor for Navigant Consulting, Protiviti, and RGP. One part of my business is helping solo consultants build successful practices. (The other half is working with driven professionals in career transition).
It is an absolute joy helping a client launch a new service offering. I want to share some of the strategies I suggest you use to try to ensure product/market fit – and your sanity.
1. What have you enjoyed delivering in the past?
As a solo consultant, you’d better enjoy what you’re doing (at least some of the time) or you’re going to be miserable most of the time. And, not surprisingly, a miserable consultant has miserable clients who block their suggestions at every turn.
Take a stroll down memory lane and think about projects you’ve done that were interesting for you and valuable for your clients. Write down specific points. Are there any things in common between your favorite projects? Type of client? Industry? Activities you did? Scope of project? Types of skills used?
Pick a few ideas to explore in more depth. Could you turn any of these into a service you’d like to deliver?
2. What are your best skills?
It’s easier to make a great impression and not get stressed out if you’re using your best skills. Being in a flow state where time slows down is powerful and feels great!
Are you a wiz at research? A fantastic facilitator? Terrific trainer? Make sure your new service has some of these in it to potentially increase the wow factor for your clients.
3. How do you like to work?
Delivering services is hard work. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. How do you like to work? Alone? In a team? Virtually? At your client’s office?
While you can’t always control this, you can focus on specific types of projects or clients to have a better chance of working in your ideal situation, at least part of the time.
4. What is your industry expertise?
Often, it’s easier to target industries you understand and have worked in previously. While you may think you have a service that could apply to any business, your prospects may not agree.
Prospects like to feel that you understand their pain and their challenges, and your sales cycle will be much easier and shorter if you can point to past successes with similar types of clients in the same or a similar industry.
Also, launching a new service will take longer than you think, and by the time it’s ready to be launched, you may feel like you’ve been hemorrhaging money and time.
The fast path to the cash, at least in the beginning, is sticking close to what you know.
5. Who is your ideal client?
Who are your people? What type of client “gets” you? Do you feel comfortable selling to small business owners or to the C suite at a large company? Do you prefer working with for-profit or non-profit organizations?
Knowing who you want to get in front of will dictate the type of marketing you do and where you do it.
As a solo consultant, you need to jealously guard your time. Consider your time an even more precious resource than your money. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time.
If you’re going off in 10 different directions, your messaging will be bland, you’ll be anxious and exhausted, and you won’t be spending your time on the activities that are more likely to lead to success.
There are certainly more things to consider, but this list is a good start.
Please remember that you are your business as a solo consultant. The more you enjoy what you’re doing, the more successful your business will be.
Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash
