Escaping a time-based pricing model is a common goal for independent consultants. Not only does hourly billing limit a client's perception of your value to their company, but it can also tempt you to overwork.

Many independent consultants want to transition away from time-based billing but need help figuring out how to do it.

In today's episode, I share a simple, 5-step process to adopt a new pricing model for your consulting business.

Transitioning away from hourly or daily rates into a fixed-fee or value-based pricing model can feel intimidating. You don't want to lose a deal based on pricing.

The 5 steps I share with you in this episode will help you combine a proven strategy and effective mindset to overcome obstacles that stop consultants from transitioning from time-based billing.

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

CRM (customer relationship management) tools help you maximize your time, stay consistent with your business development activities, and balance supply and demand to keep your pipeline constantly flowing.

So many independent consultants have questions about how to use and implement a CRM so they manage their business development processes effectively and efficiently.

Today’s episode is designed to address frequently asked questions to demystify CRMs for consultants.

You might be surprised, but the key to success isn’t about which software is best for your independent consulting business.

Instead, I share how you can maximize how you think about using a CRM through the lens of a business owner so you’re able to make your  CRM optimize your consulting lead generation, follow-up, nurturing, and consulting sales processes.

This episode on how to select a CRM for your consulting business is part of the summer podcast series that offers bite-sized ways to dial in and tighten up your business consulting operations to make your work more impactful for you and your clients.

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Your network is one of the most powerful assets in your business. And we all have relationships in our network that we’ve neglected. It doesn’t matter why you’ve let communication lapse with someone, it’s powerful to reinvigorate those neglected relationships.

You never know where a connection in your network might lead.

I know it can be uncomfortable to reach out to people you have let slide off your radar for so long, but there is a simple 3-step process to rebuild and strengthen relationships with old contacts.

Today I share a simple strategy to revive relationships you’ve neglected in your network so that you can put it to work for you and your independent consulting business.

This episode is part of the summer podcast series focused on dialing in your consulting business operations. Each episode includes another strategy you can implement as a consulting business owner to make your time more impactful.

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

In this episode, I dive into the critical topic of pricing and how to leverage value-based questioning to transform your consulting sales process, allowing you to command higher fees and showcase your professional skill set.

Discover the simple yet impactful micro-adjustments you can make to your sales meetings to maximize their impact and increase your earning potential. 

By implementing these strategies, you'll be able to demonstrate your expertise from the outset and position yourself as a high-value consultant worth investing in.

Specifically, I share the power of value-based questioning and the most effective mindset that will enable you increase the impact of your sales approach.

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Consistent lead generation is essential to building a sustainable independent consultant business. It’s easy to understand why business development is vital, so why do independent consultants commonly push this task to the back burner? 

We overlook lead generation because… 

• We overcomplicate the process
• It's uncomfortable
• We don't have a straightforward process to make lead generation easy to complete

Episode 121 drills down into how to simplify lead generation so you’re able to stay consistent regardless of how busy your schedule is.

Tune in to learn four easy tools to implement into your business that make consistent lead generation a no-brainer. 

This episode is another installment of the summer podcast series focused on tightening business operations. Making small changes and adopting procedures like consistent lead generation will improve your confidence, grow your consulting pipeline, and increase the efficiency of your business.

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

As an independent consultant, getting ghosted by a client feels like the worst thing that could possibly happen. You spend time and resources on discovery, research, and proposals that amount to nothing.

You thought you had the deal in the bag. What happened?

It’s time to conduct a retrospective.

Today’s episode is about leveraging retrospectives to unlock continuous improvement so your independent consulting business is more efficient and successful.

In this episode, I walk you through how to do retrospectives in your consulting business so you make the most of all the time you invest in generating leads, facilitating discovery, writing proposals, and negotiating with your consulting buyers.

This topic is part of the podcast series focused on tightening your operating procedures. Making small changes or adding small operating procedures will tighten up your processes, improve your efficiency, and increase your value to clients. 

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

As an independent consultant, I can safely assume you’re responsive and professional. 

You provide timely responses to client requests.

And, sometimes this responsiveness can backfire.

It backfires when we give the potential client what they ask for without questioning it, especially when it comes to writing and sending over consulting proposals.

It is crucial that proposals aren’t written too early. Not only do premature proposals cost us time and money, but they also extend the sales cycle and increase the chance of losing the deal.

Today’s episode outlines the consequences of premature consulting proposals and how to improve your sales process to avoid this common consulting mistake.

Whether you’re reacting to a client’s urgency or operating off of overconfidence and assumptions, these premature proposals often miss the mark as it relates to the solution you’re recommending and the pricing you’re offering.

Avoiding writing a premature consulting proposal will improve your consulting sales process, increase client trust, and preserve your time.

In this episode, I share how to know if you’re writing your consulting proposals prematurely and how to navigate the sales process so you’re in command and giving the client a value-driven proposal at the stage of the sales process that’s most effective for both you and the potential client.

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

It’s common for independent consultants to put client testimonials on the back burner.

You know you want to capture testimonials and case studies.

You put them on your to-do list but they don’t become a priority.

Without a standard operating procedure, there will never be a “good” time to ask a client for a testimonial.

It gets pushed off and pushed off, and suddenly, it’s been too long, or the feedback no longer seems relevant.

Powerful consulting client testimonials and case studies are crucial to growing an independent consulting business.

Today I share a process for securing client testimonials in a way that is easy on you and the client.

Are you ready to see how powerful consulting client testimonials will impact your business development process?

Listen in to learn the best practices to implement testimonials in your consulting business and how testimonials benefit both you and the client.

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Generating a steady stream of new consulting opportunities is crucial to building a successful independent consulting business. Often we rely on marketplaces, networking, and past employers to generate leads. When you master the ability to land new clients independently, opportunities are endless.

Today, I share the best strategy for getting your foot in the door with new consulting clients. Wherever you are in your business, this best practice is applicable. So whether you have a full roster, are already using a successful business development process, or are just starting, this strategy is the missing piece that will enable you to grow and maintain a steady consulting pipeline of new clients.

Mastering this strategy means landing new clients without relying on anyone else but you. It gives you the flexibility to find and secure clients who need the skills and expertise you offer. This will enable you to break through the plateaus and false limits in your business.

Are you ready to have a healthy pipeline for your consulting business? Tune in to learn the best strategy to get your foot in the door with new clients.

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

In this episode, I reveal the pricing mistake almost every independent consultant makes while growing their business.

When pricing out a consulting proposal, it’s common to think about what a client will be willing to pay and focus on how to hit that number.

Most consultants are overly influenced by their assumptions about the client’s acceptance when it comes to pricing. 

And, as a result, they forget about their own business pricing requirements. 

In today’s episode, I 

• Drill into the most common consulting pricing mistake so you can recognize where you could be making this mistake in your own business
• Give you three tools to fix this common pricing mistake and
• Help you overcome fear so you can shift your mindset from one of scarcity to one of abundance.

Click here for the full show notes and more information here.

And click here for more on private coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.

Want help achieving your consulting business goals? Melisa can help. Click here for more on coaching tailored to you as an independent consulting business owner.