This Week’s Shift: From Funnel → Conversation
Before you read another sentence, answer this: How many people in your current professional network have a problem you could actually solve right now?
Specifically. People you could name out loud. [Their actual names. Out loud. I'll wait.] Now: how many of them know you're available to help?
That second number is your real pipeline. Nothing on your website is going to close that loop for you. A conversation WILL.
Here are the four moves that produce your first $10K:
1. MINE YOUR NETWORK Export your LinkedIn connections. Sort them by industry, role and likely problem fit. Identify 20–30 people who are probably dealing with the thing you solve right now.
This takes one afternoon. Most consultants skip it because it feels too obvious to work – which is exactly why it works. 2. RUN LEARNING CALLS, NOT SALES CALLS
Reach out to those 20–30 people and ask for a 20-minute call. The goal is to understand what problems they're working on, what they've already tried, and what it's costing them.
These are learning conversations. People can sense the difference in your posture immediately, and they answer completely differently.
3. THE PIVOT Somewhere in those conversations, someone is going to lean in and say that's exactly what I'm dealing with. Resist the urge to spring your pitch. Ask one more question: "Would it be useful if I sent you a short take on what I'd think about if I were inside this with you?"
That single question is what turns "this is interesting" into "let's talk about working together."
4. THE ASK
You have to actually ASK for the engagement. I cannot tell you how many consultants get all the way to the right conversation and then sit there hoping the prospect will drive the close.
The prospect will not drive the close. You will. Name a small, low-risk pilot. Put a real number on it. Send the proposal that same week.
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