Establishing your worth

Recently, several readers have contacted me to say that they aren’t sure how to convince clients of their value. They note they’re new to the field and that they don’t know where to go from there. So how do you figure out a consulting fee when you’re an upstart consultant or firm?

Well, this is really a marketing question. With a marketing plan in place, you’ll have done the research to figure out what clients need and what solving the problem is worth to them. You’ll have put together a plan to help map out the challenges they face and to guide them through each step of building a relationship with you. In reality, it can take as many as seven contacts with you before a client reaches out. By building a system for marketing that helps build and nurture the relationship, you’ll be in a better position to convince clients that you’re not just worth the money, but that you really get them, understand their problems and can put together a sound solution that will move them to a better place.

But money and the discussion of money aren’t always easy topics for people. We all have baggage we carry when it comes to tackling our businesses and many people carry a lifetime of ideas, concerns or even cultural pressures about money. So, in Consulting Fees: A Guide for Independent Consultants, I actually go into detail about the emotional roadblocks that trip so many of us up.

That being said, many of the challenges faced by consultans – new and veteran – come down to how solid your business and marketing plans feel. If you’re looking to bolster your plans, take a look at my consulting course.

Where do you find yourself stumbling or uncertain?