Many non-sales professionals, especially those in the consulting industry, are loath to think about selling. For most of us, the image of the cheesy plaid-jacketed, glad-handing, back-slapping guy who doesn’t know what we really do is enough to makes us run for the exits if someone suggests we try to find more business at a customer site.
Unfortunately, this becomes a double-edged sword, since the person who knows best what the customer needs isn’t naturally inclined to take on the dreaded sales or business development burden, which leaves it the that guy in the plaid jacket with the comb-over.
The really bad news is that if no one is selling, no one is working, which is even worse, and, to top it off, if you want to advance in your career at a professional services firm, the best to way accelerate your rise up the ranks is to create a reputation for being able to find new business.
The good news is that it’s really not that difficult to both generate new and follow-on business and keep your self-respect. We call it FACE Time.
Those of us in the professional services business know the difference between a doctor and a beggar. The beggar stands around with a sign that says “Will work for food”, which, loosely translated, means “if you tell me what you want, and will give me something for it, I’ll do it for you”.
On the other hand, a doctor says “tell me your symptoms, I’ll examine and evaluate you, and give you both a diagnosis and a treatment plan”. The successful consultant knows not just what needs to be done for a client, but how to communicate effectively without being “salesy”. Here’s a brief run-down on how FACT Time works.
FACE time is a methodology employed by operations professionals who normally are on-site with their customers. Each of the letters stands as a reminder about what to do when presenting to your customer either formally or informally.
F Fulfill completely before any growth dialogue is started by you. Ensure you are fulfilling to the customer’s satisfaction. Know this by knowing the requirements and speaking to your fulfillment of those requirements whenever the opportunity arises. Encourage feedback from the customer if there is any question that you are meeting/exceeding the requirements. Only upon verifying that you are, should any talk of growing the value of the contract be initiated by you.
A Account for your success by listing the requirements and getting acknowledgement that you are fulfilling your responsibilities as a contractor.
C Create an environment that commonly and naturally talks about “next steps”. This requires an open dialogue where you are free to talk about what you see and what you can “fix”. It also allows the customer the opportunity to offer where they’re headed and whether you are being considered as part of the team to help them get there.
E Engage in meaningful dialogue (capabilities and requirements) as a valued member of the customer’s operations team.
By creating and maintaining your credibility with the customer and positioning yourself as someone who is looking out for their best interests, you’ll create opportunities for yourself and your company without sacrificing your integrity.
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