Consulting

Consulting firms have huge untapped opportunities in sales. Consulting, done right, can create better futures for companies, improve their results, and make them more competitive. The challenge, however, is that buyers don't often come to consulting firms and ask for these services.

These services must be sold proactively. Yet many consultants don't see themselves as salespeople. And until they reach a more senior level in their careers, they don't realize that to advance, make partner, or succeed as leaders in their own firms, a major component of their jobs is selling consulting.

At RAIN Group, we've worked with hundreds of consulting firms around the world to help them build a culture of business development success.

Many of the skills that make for a great consultant are the same ones that are needed for selling consulting success. When working with clients, consultants ask questions, educate, collaborate, build creative solutions, develop relationships, and help clients envision a better path forward.

These are core skills needed to succeed in selling their services. But many consultants stumble when transitioning from applying these skills in client work to applying them in business development. Here are just a few ways we help consulting firms increase sales results:

• Unleash the sales potential across all consulting and business development teams
• Sell proactively, driving demand for services clients should be taking advantage of but aren't
• Increase cross-selling, up-selling, and account penetration so consultants sell the full range of the firm's services

• Improve consulting sales skills—from generating leads and consultative selling to closing and growing accounts
• Bridge the gap between consultant and rainmaker, and create a culture of business development across the firm