Why would the consultant wish to collect data at this stage?
How would they go about doing this?
Meeting with Client; non-competitive
- More informal such as a telephone call or a personal visit.
Collecting Background Information
- Industry data.
- Company data.
- Functional data.
Meeting with Client; Competitive
- Collect data on the client and the problem.
- Collect data on the competitors.
- Differentiate from the competition.
- Qualify for the proposal.
- Sell the job.
- Ask the right questions.
Approaching the Prospect
- Approach clients once the opportunity has been identified.
- Initially, determine whether the opportunity is worth following up, to confirm that it is real and under what conditions business should be conducted.
- The initial approach is also necessary to present the consulting firm credentials and to establish it as a potential service provider.
Calling on the prospect
Be prepared:
- Prepare your opening statement and fact-finding questions.
- Prepare your “sales” message by establishing a list of benefits tailored to suit the client and your qualifying criteria.
- Plan timing of your call; Mondays, Fridays, morning, afternoon?
- Have all the correct “sales” aids with you.
Using a “Standard” Approach
Many large vendors have a standard bid or opportunity management approach, dealing with the steps and specifically risk and authority to proceed.
Qualification of the opportunity involves:
- Asking how the work can be
- Assessing the available information and the likelihood of
- Asking whether more information is
- Making a decision based on the
How Can the Work Be Sold?
- What is the sales pitch?
- A key factor driving the prospect’s buying decision (speed, quality, and price)?
- What personal relationships exist and how can they be best leveraged or combined?
- What can the account executive and members of the project team do to positively influence the sale?
- What are our chances?
