Consultants share their secrets on finding and keeping clients

You have that dream of leaving employment soon and setting up shop as a consultant in your field. Or perhaps you are out of a job, and naturally, you think why not be a consultant? After all, you have a wealth of expertise. 

You browse the internet, and there are tonnes of info on how to start that consulting career. It makes it sounds so easy. So why is it that many consultants fail not long after setting up?  Getting the first few clients is the easy part. The hard part is figuring out what to do when you’re a little further down the road. When you already have a few clients, and are trying to actually grow your business, and have a few overhead costs.

To find out what works and what doesn’t, we spoke to two women consultants.

Diana Kolek–Olwangu is the founder of Evoke Global, a training, coaching, and strategy consulting company that provides growth solutions to MSMEs

How did you start?

I registered my business in March 2018. I started as a consultant working with individual clients while I was still employed. I started with zero capital. In fact, I went to register the business after getting the first deposit from my first client. 

What has been your edge?

One of the biggest setbacks for businesses is a lack of funding. I identify organisations that are willing to provide funding for the MSMEs.

Mistake to avoid 

·         Do not promise what you cannot deliver. If you are not experienced in the area, and cannot get an outside resource to offer it, don’t do it. You will expose yourself.

·         Don't be too quick to price your services. Understand what the client wants and communicate value first. Pricing will be easy after this.

·         After agreeing with a client on the price, you cannot go back on your word even if you underpriced your service.

·         Do not start working until you are clear about the scope of the work and the client is happy with it, including pricing. When you go out to pitch to your potential client, your proposal should cover all possible areas and delivery timelines, awaiting pricing.

Tricks for finding clients

Who are your target clients?

First, you must define and describe your ideal clients. Who are they? Why them? Can you identify them in a crowd? You have probably heard about networking. Not all networking will work. It has to be very targeted. One of the ways to do this is by going to social events or event conferences where the clients you have identified are likely to patronise. If I attend an event, I make sure that I raise my hand and ask a question or clarification. I then drop my one-liner that explains who I am and what I do.  Start taking up speaking engagements, honour invites from the media, and attend events and conferences.

How well do you create links with the people you meet?

I have this habit of asking questions to people I have just met. I also offer to help them in the areas where I feel they are having trouble. My philosophy has always been to give and it shall be given back. I always offer the first coaching sessions for free. This allows me and my client to break the ice and connect at a more personal level. The more you connect with your ideal clients the more you will convert. This April, I have attended an event every week. I then ensure that I do follow-ups immediately and organise to meet with my connections within the next 14 days. As you connect, don't be too official. Listen more and ask questions in order to notice gaps that will become an opportunity. 

Reaching your clients

It is important to get your potential clients from a place where you can continuously reach them and speak to them consistently. Facebook groups and WhatsApp groups work very well on this. You only convert like 10 percent of the clients you reach out to immediately. I run a Facebook group called Women Building Legacy Businesses because my ideal clients are women who want to build legacy businesses.  If doing live sessions and posting on Facebook is difficult, try sending email blasts. A great way to make yourself an authority in your area of service is by authoring a book on the services you offer. This is an investment that will cost you between Sh100,000 and Sh300,000. Your book will act as a living business card. It will also create a new revenue line for you as well as a source of podcast material.

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Terry Ng’ang’a is a realtor, real estate consultant, and director at Property Hall Investments Ltd.

How did you start?

I went into full-time business in 2020 after 10 years of practicing it as a side hustle. In the early 2000s, I had taken a friend to view some land just behind the Thika Road Mall. A commercial plot of 50 by 100 was going for Sh2 million. He had taken a loan and therefore funds were not an issue. He looked at the place and gave so many excuses that the place was marshy and deserted since there was no construction. He didn’t buy it. Years later when we met, he had nothing to show for the loan he had taken and the land had appreciated to over Sh40 million. These missed opportunities are some of the lowest moments in my career as a realtor and real estate consultant.

How to find clients

What are you doing on social media?

Ride on Twitter trends and trending videos on TikTok to create your brand awareness. Your pages must showcase your services. This means that you will use your official business names. Not ‘Last Born wa Baba John’ or 'Mercy Msweetest’. Occasionally, have discussions and write-ups giving tips and the latest industry news around the type of services you offer. For example, in real estate, you could do posts about ‘Ten cheapest plots to look in Juja’.

When was the last time you attended an event?

I attend events whether they are paid or free. Start doing this as a way of creating new networks. If I attend a wedding for example, I socialise with the people at the same table and in some way, we end up talking about what we do for a living and exchange contacts. I won't, however, keep bombarding them with promotional texts or calls. Instead, I try to create a friendship by checking out on them every once in a while. If such a person ever needs the services I offer, chances are that they will come to me. If you bombard the people you meet with promotional material, they will never come to you.

Mistakes to avoid

If you are a consultant in the field of real estate, you should never allow your client to lose money. Once a client shows interest in a property under your agency, go beyond the commission and assist them to do due diligence. Don’t be the conduit to their getting conned.

Don’t be desperate to close a deal. In real estate, property sale takes time. This can take up to six months or more especially for first-time buyers. If desperation kicks in, you might become a nag, calling the client every day.  This will put them off. Also, never sell what you cannot buy.

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