Pillar 02 / Cluster 2A

Leading comfortable sales conversations with consulting clients

TL;DR: How to run sales conversations that feel like being a peer and an expert, never a salesperson.

How do you run a sales conversation with a potential client without feeling salesy?

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6 Questions About Leading comfortable sales conversations with consulting clients

What questions should I ask on a first call with a potential client?

Ask what's driving them to look now, how the problem is affecting the business, and how decisions get made. The value questions to ask on a first call.

How do I ask for the business without being pushy?

Asking for the business stops feeling pushy when the ask names a next step for the client. The words to use, and why a direct ask lands better than you expect.

I freeze when it's time to talk about working together

The freeze happens where the call stops being about them and starts being about you. Ask permission first, then name the problem you solve before your process.

Am I talking too much on sales calls?

Most consultants talk too much on sales calls because explaining feels like proving competence. What to do instead of solving the problem live.

When someone asks what I charge, I don't know what to say

Say a number, then stop talking. The two sentences I teach for the price moment, what to do when a client reacts, and why you never ask about their budget.

Should I do free strategy sessions to win consulting work?

Free strategy sessions work when they stay diagnostic and stop working the moment they turn into free delivery. How to give value without giving away the plan.

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Related Clusters

Pillar 02 / Cluster 2B

Navigating the long B2B sales process

How consulting engagements really get bought inside companies, and how to lead a sale you are mostly not in the room for.

Pillar 02 / Cluster 2C

Following up with potential clients without chasing

How to stay in a sales process with persistence and integrity after the other side goes quiet.

Pillar 03 / Cluster 3D

Building pricing confidence as a consultant

Why smart, accomplished women undercharge, and how the internal story changes. The in-the-moment version of the price question lives in cluster 2A; this cluster owns the story underneath it.

Mary G, nonprofit consultant
I just secured a contract for 500% more than I was originally going to quote. I was ready to undervalue my bid and ask for $7,000 but I reached out to Leah and the team for a pep talk and I'm glad I did, because we are now going under contract for $37,500!! I'm stoked!
Denise F, marketing consultant
I was my reviewing my revenue dashboard and it showed that I earned $100K more in 2024 compared to the year before. I joined the Academy in May 2024 and it has transformed my sales approach entirely.
Sarah J, fundraising consultant
We used to book clients just in time to keep income flowing, and we now have a 6-month cushion!
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