Too many consultants get tangled up in the same issue: they love what they’re doing, but they struggle to actually sell their product or service. They assume that if they build a large enough audience, the sales will automatically follow. Unfortunately, they don’t realize that this approach often leads to frustration and burnout rather than success.
Without a strong sales strategy, having a huge audience won’t help them. Without selling, they don’t have a business. What they have is a hobby.
This creates a problem where their efforts to grow an audience feel disconnected from generating real revenue. The more they chase vanity metrics like followers and likes, the more they start believing that they need an even larger audience to achieve success.
They spend an excessive amount of time and energy creating content for social media, engaging with followers, and trying to grow their audience. Despite increasing their follower count, they notice that their income doesn’t reflect the size of their audience.
They feel stuck, overworked, and frustrated that they’re putting in so much effort without seeing tangible results. They often say things like:
- “I’m doing everything I can, but no one’s buying.”
- “Why do other people with smaller audiences seem to make more sales?”
- “I just need to reach more people before I can start making consistent income.”
They fear that they will never break through to a profitable business because they lack a massive audience. They worry that if they don’t have thousands of followers, no one will see their offers, and they’ll always be invisible. This fear of being “not big enough” holds them back from taking action and making bold offers.
They also fear coming across as “sales-y” or pushy. The very idea of selling makes them uncomfortable. They don’t want to be seen as just another online marketer or someone who only cares about making money.
The root cause of this belief is a misunderstanding of what truly drives sales. Many consultants believe that a larger audience automatically translates into more revenue. They don’t realize that success is not about the quantity of followers but about the quality of engagement and the effectiveness of their sales process.
They haven’t learned how to leverage principles of influence and persuasion effectively. They lack a strategy to convert their existing audience into paying clients, focusing instead on accumulating more followers without a clear purpose.
Expanding with Robert Cialdini’s Principles:
1. The Uncomfortable Truth About Selling:
Most consultants cringe at the idea of selling. It makes them feel uncomfortable, awkward, and “sales-y.” But here’s the reality: Selling is a requirement for any business to survive and thrive.
Unfortunately, being a natural salesperson doesn’t come easily to most people. That’s why many avoid it or put it off until they feel more “qualified” to make offers—which rarely happens.
But selling doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. And it definitely shouldn’t feel unnatural or sleazy. This is where Robert Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Persuasion come into play.
These principles teach us how selling can be done ethically, effectively, and even enjoyably.
Principle 1: Reciprocity
- Explanation:
When someone does something nice for us, we feel compelled to return the favor. That’s human nature. - Application:
For consultants, this means becoming a source of never-ending value. Share your knowledge freely, promote others, and engage genuinely, rather than just promoting yourself. This will establish you as a valuable resource in your community, making people more inclined to support you when you make an offer. - How to Use It:
Find one person each week in your niche whose work you admire. Analyze and break down their content, then share your insights on social media. You get value, they get value, and your audience sees you as someone who gives before asking for anything in return.
Principle 2: Commitment & Consistency
- Explanation:
People like to be consistent with the commitments they have made, even small ones. Start by encouraging your audience to make small commitments, like signing up for a free newsletter or following you on social media. - Application:
These small, free “transactions” create a sense of consistency that can build over time. Every time someone engages with you, it’s a step closer to becoming a paying customer. - How to Use It:
This week, find one opportunity to ask for a small commitment, like joining your free Facebook group or subscribing to your YouTube channel. Each small “yes” leads to a bigger one.
Principle 3: Establish Social Proof
- Explanation:
People look to others for cues on how to behave, especially in situations where they are uncertain. - Application:
Showcase testimonials and positive reviews from happy clients. Let your satisfied customers speak for you—this is far more effective than any landing page or sales pitch you could create. - How to Use It:
Reach out to one happy customer and ask them to write a 2-3 sentence testimonial. Feature it prominently on your website or social media profile.
Principle 4: Build Authority
- Explanation:
People are more likely to be influenced by someone they perceive as an authority or expert. - Application:
Share long-form content, articles, case studies, or podcast appearances where you dive into your subject matter. This proves your expertise and establishes you as a thought leader in your niche. - How to Use It:
Find time in the next 30 days to write one piece of longer-form content. Share your unique insights, personal experiences, or lessons learned in your industry.
Principle 5: Affection (Liking)
- Explanation:
People are more likely to buy from those they know, like, and trust. - Application:
Share your personal story. Be open about your journey, your values, and what drives you. Being relatable and authentic will attract the right kind of people to your business. - How to Use It:
This month, reach out to 3-5 people who have made an impact on your business. Send a short DM or email telling them exactly why they’ve influenced you and what you’ve done with that impact. This fosters positive relationships and builds genuine connections.
Principle 6: Scarcity
- Explanation:
People place a higher value on things that are scarce or limited. - Application:
Introduce scarcity by offering limited-time deals or exclusive, invite-only events. This creates urgency and drives people to take action sooner rather than later. - How to Use It:
Create an “urgency calendar” for the next 12 months. Identify 2-4 times each year where you’ll build scarcity around your products or services. Plan your messaging ahead of time so it doesn’t feel forced or aggressive.
I hope you enjoyed these 6 practical applications for your business.
P.S. Whenever you’re ready here are three ways I can help you grow your business right now…
1. Join the Scalable Business Group and connect with other service-based business owners who are scaling too – Its FREE. It’s our new Facebook™ community where smart business owners learn to get more income, impact, and independence. — Click Here
2. Join the, “Accelerator™ program”, a proven operating system to double your revenue and scale you and your consultancy to $30k months, and become a successful case study. The outcome of the “Accelerator™ program” is simple: To Scale Up you and your consultancy business to $30k months with a proven system for irresistible messaging, magnetic marketing and simple sales. We’ll give you everything we need to make that happen, and nothing you don’t. SEND ME A MESSAGE with the word “ACCELERATE” to learn more now!
3. Work with me an my team. If you’d like to work directly with me and my team to take you from 6 to 7 or 8 figures… just send me a message with the word “Private”… tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details. CLICK HERE to chat with me in Messenger
I’m excited to help you grow and scale your business.
Leave a Reply