+44 (0) 7970 638857
   
Jacky Sherman

Jacky Sherman

The Consultant's Consultant ...

Learning With My Clients

Jacky Sherman

CREATED BY JACKY SHERMAN

Published: 14/05/2025 @ 09:00AM

#theconsultantsconsultant #newconsultants #northampton #miltonkeynes #clientgeneration

I had a lovely email when I first published this blog post from one of my clients, a graphic designer of many years, but new to running his own business and feeling lost in how to generate clients ...

I'm often learning with my clients and enjoy helping to open their eyes further!

I'm often learning with my clients and enjoy helping to open their eyes further!

In the email he said, "In answer to one of your questions 'Is your business facing in the right direction?' I wrote, 'Not sure because I think my eyes are closed.' I know that was only the second session, but I do feel as if you are slowly opening my eyes - thank you."

He's going to do just fine!

He has two essential ingredients for success, the humility to admit he doesn't know what he doesn't know and the willingness to find out. I'm going to enjoy opening his eyes even wider! In return, he gave me a new awareness of the power of the coaching questions I ask. If I'm brutally honest, I ask that question in an exercise I undertake so often that it had become routine for me.

I recently met with another new consultant straight out of corporate life and suffering from a crisis in confidence on entering the world of the small business owner. He knows his stuff, but realised that he doesn't know his audience. As he put it, "How do I add value? I don't know what they know and what they don't know". We'll find out together who needs to know what he knows and is willing to pay to find out.

Contrast this with another consultant who came on one of my introductory courses last year. I remember it well because he is the only person I have ever had who complained he didn't learn anything from the session.

My first reaction was that, as he offers marketing services himself, it was somewhat reassuring for his customers that he already knew the basics of marketing. My second reaction was to ponder what had made him come to my workshop. The cynic in me thought he was simply eyeing up the competition, in which case, he learnt that we shared the same principles.

However, an off-the-cuff remark after the session gave away his real reason. He was frustrated that he gave and gave and gave to other people, but most never gave back to him. What I hadn't done in that short session was address this particular phenomenon for him.

That reminded me of another rather more perceptive client who qualified a similar response to that workshop, referring to it as "the blindingly obvious I haven't been doing". Still my favourite quote. What I teach appears quite simple, but mastering the skills and capturing the nuances necessary to build referral relationships is more difficult.

Returning to my disgruntled participant, further questioning revealed that yes, he knew the principle of reciprocation!

What he hadn't grasped was the subtlety around it. His demeanour in business and in networking was as the "one who knows the answers, the one who can distribute his largesse". Yes, he did ask for referrals in return, but as an expectation of reciprocation. What he didn't show was the humility to acknowledge others had knowledge and resources he didn't have, and that he needed help from them too.

The difference between "Can you introduce me to X?" and "Can you help me with an introduction to X?" To be fair, that particular insight did not, at that time, feature in my workshop. My learning from his feedback was to add it in.

To sum up, my tip for you (and for me) is to be confident that we have something to offer others that will open their eyes to new possibilities. Equally, there is an awful lot we are not even aware that we don't know.

Have the humility to ask for help, and others may surprise and delight you. Works for me!

Until next time ...


JACKY SHERMAN
Join my mailing list! Click here and be one of the first to know when I publish a new blog post!

Share the blog love ...

Share this to FacebookBuffer
Share this to FacebookFacebook
Share this to TwitterTwitter
Share this to Linkedin (popup window)Linkedin
Share this to Pinterest (popup window)Pinterest
Share this to WhatsApp (popup window)WhatsApp

#theconsultantsconsultant #newconsultants #northampton #miltonkeynes #clientgeneration

More blog posts for you to enjoy ...

Click here to view this blog post


Navigating the Waters of Setting Up Your Consultancy

The early days of setting up your consultancy present unique challenges and opportunities. Embrace self-development, cultivate resilience, and transform your mindset from employee to entrepreneur for a successful start ......

Click here to view this blog post


Referral Marketing: Gain Mastery By Copying Others

One sunny day, when my son was about 4 years old, he'd been naughty, and I was telling him off. I suddenly noticed that he was copying my hand gestures, body language and facial expressions. When he saw my realisation, he bur...

Click here to view this blog post


Understanding False Kindness: The Lasting Legacy of Jack Welch

Jack Welch's philosophy of 'false kindness' teaches that by retaining underperformers, organisations and individuals can hinder growth. Crucial insights for consultants and business leaders reveal how to assess and refine per...

Click here to view this blog post


Should You Have A Wide And Diverse Network?

People who meet me in Northampton and Milton Keynes often say that I seem to know everyone who goes out networking for their business. It's not true, of course ......

Click here to view this blog post


Networking Skills: The Benefits Of Focus In Your Networking

Once again this week, I was drawn into a debate about whether to appeal to a wide range of clients or focus on a tight target market. It's a fundamental networking skill to know what you want ......

Click here to view this blog post


5 Challenges Consultants Face Setting Up Their Own Business

I recall a fellow attendee at my first sales training course, when I was preparing for my own transition from employee to consultant. She confided in me that before her first sales meeting, she threw up in the car park ......

Click here to view this blog post


How Trigger Words And Images Can Get You More Referrals

This blog is about how Helen Beaumont of Essendon Tax focuses her network and messages to stimulate more referrals to her ideal clients. I spoke to her a few weeks ago and it was lovely to see that she is still using the tech...

Click here to view this blog post


6 Steps To Getting New Business When You're On Holiday

Years ago, we were on holiday in Italy. Every day, when I sat by the pool, I'd see a man on a lounger deeply engrossed in his laptop. Every quarter of an hour or so, two children tried to attract his attention, only to be fob...

Other bloggers you may like ...

Click here to view this blog post


The Ins and Outs of Employing Young People

Posted by Helen Beaumont on https://blog.essendontax.co.uk

The first thing to consider when employing young people is their age. Children under the age of 13 are not allowed to work except in certain circumsta ...

Click here to view this blog post


The Reality of Trial Prep for Lawyers And How A VA Can Help

Posted by Sarah Hannaford on https://blog.sarahpasolutions.co.uk

Trial prep for lawyers often entails meticulous work that can detract from their primary legal responsibilities. Let's take a look at the burdens of t ...

Click here to view this blog post


Where Does sBlogIt! Publish Blog Posts? On Your Platform or My Website?

Posted by Steffi Lewis on https://www.sblogit.com

A question we are always asked when discussing our done-for-you blogging service with potential new subscribers is about where we publish your blog po ...

Click here to view this blog post


The Essential Role of Two Factor Authentication in Preventing Hacking Attacks

Posted by Pritesh Ganatra on https://blog.btsuk.net

In our digital age, safeguarding personal information is crucial. Two Factor Authentication (2FA) stands out as a vital security measure, offering a r ...

Click here to discover sBlogIt! The done-for-you blogging service