Capturing observe-on enterprise from present shoppers is comparatively straightforward. However how does your consulting agency win that essential, first mission at a brand new consumer?
One efficient strategy, particularly throughout instances of excessive uncertainty like now, is providing an irresistible PIE.
Before I clarify what a PIE is, let’s overview the virtuous enterprise cycle that may develop in your consulting agency:
Your agency produces excellent work in your consumer, which…
…enhances belief in your consulting agency, main to…
…extra, massive, profitable consulting tasks.
An apparent query surfaces: how do you begin that cycle with a brand new consumer?
It’s pretty straightforward if you happen to begin your prospecting conversations with a excessive degree of belief due to your popularity, model title, or excessive-profile case research.
In these instances, the excessive belief in your consulting agency (otherwise you as a person) outweighs any trepidation the consumer feels about participating you for a excessive-price engagement.
Conversely, in case your start line with a brand new prospect is average or low belief, closing a excessive-price engagement is far more durable.
One technique is to bolster confidence in your consulting agency, which you’ll accomplish by way of thought management, trade presence, and a number of, belief-constructing conversations along with your prospects.
Confidence-constructing via these approaches is necessary in your consulting agency.
Nevertheless, the technique is time-consuming and troublesome.
Happily, if you happen to’re ranging from a low belief place, there’s one other technique that works effectively:
Cut back the belief needed to safe a mission.
In different phrases, decrease the danger of participating your consulting agency the primary time.
And the best way you do that’s by providing an irresistible PIE.
PIE = Prospect’s Preliminary Expertise.
Your irresistible PIE is a low price, low threat, excessive worth mission that may leap begin the Belief Cycle.
You would possibly consider this as a pattern of your capabilities, or a pilot mission, or a trial engagement.
Do you’ve gotten a delicious PIE all baked and prepared to serve?
Components for an Irresistible PIE
Quick
A typical PIE is a brief-period mission anyplace from one hour to a couple of weeks.
End up rapidly so you’ll be able to transfer onto the excessive-worth, burning points.
Easy and Repeatable
Promise worth that’s straightforward for prospects to perceive and environment friendly for you to ship.
If it takes you too lengthy to clarify your PIE, your prospect’s urge for food will wane.
And if you happen to create a brand new PIE from scratch each time, will probably be horribly inefficient to ship tasty outcomes.
Clear, Speedy Worth
Guarantee your PIE delivers an apparent win, with concrete, simply recognizable worth.
For that motive, assessments aren’t nice PIEs—elevated understanding isn’t concrete and the worth isn’t quick.
Direct Expertise with You
PIEs ought to be as excessive-contact as you can also make them, whereas preserving the charges low.
The entire level is to give your consumer a style of working hand-in-hand with you.
Low Charges
Your PIE have to be straightforward to digest financially, with out discounting your charges.
In different phrases, your PIE shouldn’t be the identical work at a decrease price.
Fairly, your PIE is totally different work at commonplace or premium charges.
Linked to Observe-On
Create an apparent path out of your PIE to the subsequent engagement along with your consulting agency.
Keep away from promoting throughout your PIE; nevertheless, earlier than and after the mission runs, clearly outline how the preliminary mission suits in with a broader stream of labor.
Have you ever had success providing a low-threat, low-price, excessive worth preliminary expertise to shoppers?
Textual content and pictures are © 2026 David A. Fields, all rights reserved.
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