The key is to provide extra-special treatment, says expert Angela Jia Kim. Your perceived weakness may be your greatest strength.
In this special feature of ‘Ask Entrepreneur,’ Facebook fan Michael Bunner asks: How can my one-person (and hopefully growing) consulting firm look bigger to clients so clients don’t treat me (and want to pay me) as if I were just an individual?
Michael, this is a great question, and I’d like to – from the outset – reframe the perspective a bit.
The single most important thing for a consultant to do, from the moment you first communicate with your client, is to lead them by the hand. When you are able to be the “leader” in the client relationship, they won’t treat you as an “individual.” Clients don’t necessarily want “bigger.” They want to feel led and taken care of.
Being a leader means that you set high expectations from the get-go. Create an agreement outlining how you work, answer frequently asked questions before they have to ask them, and set up a timeline of when they can expect deliverables. You always want to be one step ahead so your clients feel guided in the process.
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