If I’ve seen it once, I’ve seen it a hundred times.
Many of the good folks who later join my Plenty of Clients Mastery Program made this mistake.
They were successful executives, but they got sick and tired of corporate politics.
More accurately, they never had the stomach for it to begin with.
But they did have a very high level of skill. A lot to offer. And they figured they should be able to earn more and have a bigger impact on their own.
So they quit their job and become a consultant. Or a coach.
And one of the first things they go and do is…
…find a partner.
Huh? Why do they do that?
Why would someone seeking autonomy, independence, control and influence bind themselves to someone else?
Why would they limit themselves like that?
I’ll tell you why.
Often, they wrongly think they must have access to skills that their partner has and they don’t.
Mostly, they sense it’s going to be a struggle to attract clients. Or maybe they already tried and found it didn’t go so fast.
So they figure that if they have a partner, it will be easier.
Why would that be?
Well, they figure putting someone else on their website will make them look more credible. (Doubtful. That’s not why the good clients will hire you.)
They figure that their partner will help attract clients. (Doubtful. Your partner probably has the same weaknesses you do and is hoping you’ll be the one to bring in business.)
So why DO they go out and get a partner?
Simple: Because they don’t know what else to do.
Small consulting partnerships almost always fail. (I can think of only one exception right now.)
And after the lights go out on that fantasy, they start looking for answers.
Reaching. Groping in the dark.
And some of them find me.
If you did well as an executive, the secret to making it now as a solo consultant, coach or expert is not to do what you know how to do. (Find a partner.)
It’s to do what will actually work. (Build a simple, repeatable marketing machine that draws your ideal clients to you.)
The skill of attracting clients is the single most valuable skill you can acquire.
Nothing comes close.
You could have mastered your craft. You could be the best in the world at what you do.
But if you don’t know how to talk about it in a way that draws your ideal clients to you, it’s not worth nothin’.
So where should you start when that partnership starts to fall apart?
I recommend you get a copy of my manual called “How to Systematically and Consistently Attract First-Rate Clients.”
It’s not all that long, under 100 pages.
It’s got both theory (how to think about this – different from nearly everything you see out there) and what to do next. With close to two dozen next-step exercises.
Even the sales page will teach you something.
Dov Gordon
PS – If you have any questions about it, hit reply.
