The "New" Paradigm Shift- What are you selling?

As we are technology people in a growing technological world we realize that things change at a very rapid pace. Throw in an economic nightmare and you can double that speed of change.

We do our best to keep up with shifts in technologies so that we can help our clients not have to worry about it. But how good of a job are you doing in terms of providing for your clients, letting them know what you can do for them and actually making yourself well deserved profits in the process?

If you're like most consulting and service providers, especially those in the tech sector, you're struggling a bit to keep up with the changes in mindset of your clients as well as keeping it in line with operating your business.

So why did I use the term "paradigm" in the title of this post? When I hear this word it often elicits thoughts of big corporation nonsense speak from the 90's or something from a Dilbert cartoon. But to define it better, what it really means is a system of beliefs and ways to do something.

With paradigm defined, I want to briefly talk about one in particular that is important to "shift" in the correct direction in the world we are in today as technology consultants and solution providers.

In selling knowledge and services, it's very easy to get stuck in a comfort zone where something works well enough to leave it alone even when changes in our environment says it's time to makes some moves. This becomes the way of life often in how we determine what we sell and how we sell it.

Seriously ask yourself if you have faced the economic changes by selling the same things in the same way, but worked much harder at it and lowered your prices to boot. The odds are you did one of the two things just mentioned but many have shifted in both ways. Not a good idea.

So if this is the wrong way to shift, then what is the right way? My suggestion is pretty simple, and it works very well. Instead of lowering your prices and working harder to sell and provide your services for less money to a broader spectrum of people, shift in the opposite direction.

First off, stop offering solutions and services and start providing outcomes. Telling clients about a process you have isn't as nearly as effective right now as telling them that you will give them 99.99% up time, a 50% increase in XYZ after 1 year, a 25% decrease in ABC in 6 months, or some kind of peace of mind.

Next, focus more on working your way up a vertical market you are already in instead of expanding into a new market/industry that you will need time to position yourself in. Target potential clients that fit the same demographics as your best clients. Let current technology and your joint venture partners allow you to expand into a wider geographic base instead of trying to suck the life out of a 20 mile radius in every niche industry possible.

Additionally, take a good look on how productive your services are on an internal basis so you can squeeze more profit out of each dollar billed and hour worked. Then add more value to your offerings so that at a minimum, you are profiting exactly the way you were before while giving clients more with the same amount of effort.

As you can see a paradigm shift, or way of thinking, does not have to mean skimping on your business or on your clients even in tough economic times. When things bounce back, and they will, my suggestions will have you in a much better position than the old way of thinking.

Now is the time to step a bit out of the comfort zone and make things happen.


To Your Business Success-

George Sierchio
The Consultant's Coach