The Power of Consistent Improvements" from James Clear's "Atomic Habits" is a game changer for new consultants and consultants transitioning from full-time employment. In fact, small consistent improvements in the right areas create massive improvements for any consultant.

“Consistent improvement” is critical to success for those wanting to learn how to start a consulting business. Even if the improvements are small.

Do small improvements make a difference?

Improving by just 1% weekly in different areas of your consulting business can make a big difference. While a 1% improvement every week might seem minor, the compounded effect over a year is substantial, about 67%. This exponential growth can make the difference between a struggling consulting practice and a thriving one.

Consultants are experts in their niche, but to build their business, they must master many skills: understanding client needs, building their professional brand, marketing their services, the art of selling services, managing operations, and continually learning.

Knowing where and how to make changes ensures you improve in areas that make an impact.

A mentor or coach and a step-by-step structure can significantly accelerate this process. The structure, strategies, and tools keep you on track. A mentor guides you and helps you learn from their experience. This not only speeds up your learning curve it also ensures that the improvements you make are aligned with best practices and industry standards.

With the compounded effect of small improvements in the right areas and the guidance of a coach, you can build a consulting business that not only survives but thrives, achieving increased income, independence, and free time.

Take Aways

• Incremental Progress: Small, daily improvements lead to significant long-term growth. It’s like money compounding in an investment. Small improvements in a guided program take little time compared to wandering and making mistakes.
• Consistency Over Intensity: Regular, consistent actions are more effective than sporadic, intense efforts. Following a proven step-by-step plan with a cohort and a coach gives you motivation and learning that is hard to get on your own.
• Leverage Compound Growth: Small improvements add up significantly over time, it’s like compound interest on an investment. Small improvements of just a few percent a week or month make a big change in your business.
• Focus on Systems: Improvements come quickest from proven learning in small appropriate chunks that push you a little farther than you are comfortable, this is the Zone of Proximal Development. It’s also critical that you improve in the right areas using proven strategies, tactics, and systems. Don't waste time.
• Adapt and Evolve: Regularly assess and adjust your strategies and tactics to ensure continued improvement. Our clients depend upon us to stay ahead of the rapid change in the world. We must learn while continuing to grow our business.

Take Action

Here are a few ways you can take action.

Refine Your Sales Process: Practice and incrementally improve your Discovery Sessions and sales pitch. Regularly seeking feedback and making small tweaks can dramatically increase your effectiveness in selling your services. We use a 12-step sales process that has proven highly effective and can be modified for each project. It can be modified depending on the size and type of sales. 

Example: Spend 15 minutes daily refining how you help a client visualize success and how you handle objections. Record yourself, listen to the playback, and learn. You can do this by recording yourself, by working with a peer, or by using the roleplaying Generative AI app we use in our courses.

Optimize Your Workflow: Implement small, daily changes to your workflow to become more efficient. This can lead to more free time and a higher income.

Example: Introduce Generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, with proven prompts to give yourself significant productivity improvements in many tasks. Of course, you must still use your expert judgment and editing, but these systems greatly increase productivity. Large consulting firms are investing billions of dollars in incorporating AI.

Expand Your Network: Make it a habit to connect with one new person in your industry each day. These connections can lead to new opportunities and client referrals.

Example: Allocate 30 minutes daily to engage in a value exchange with professionals in your niche on LinkedIn. Or attend local niche-industry networking events. Be prepared to give value to everyone you connect with.

 Scenario: Alex's Growth Through Targeted Coaching and AI Tools

Meet Alex, a new consultant struggling to establish her business. Realizing she needed guidance; she invested in a coaching program. Her coach, a seasoned consultant, offered a step-by-step approach with proven strategies and AI-powered tools.

Firstly, they helped Alex identify a niche, ideal client profile, and unique marketing position. As she began the coach gradually introduced strategies, tactics, and AI systems at the appropriate time to help Alex get her first clients, then increase her professional brand, and automate her marketing.

They worked on refining her sales pitch and deploying effective marketing tactics, including leveraging social media for brand visibility. Emphasizing continuous learning and adaptation, the coach encouraged Alex to keep learning and adapting for consistent improvement.

The results were transformative. Within months, Alex's client base expanded, her workload became more manageable thanks to the AI system, and her sales strategies improved significantly. By year-end, she had successfully overcome her initial hurdles, growing her consulting business exponentially. Alex's journey highlighted the power of targeted coaching, strategic adaptation, and the effective use of technology.

Call to Action

When you have a moment, put down your phone and think about what tasks are critical to your business?

What creates strategic impact and value?

What processes could make your business simpler or more impactful?

Write these down or email them to yourself and develop small habits and systems that create massive impact.

Download the Ultimate Guide to Starting, Building, and Scaling a Consulting Business.