Having blogged about "Consultants watch-borrowing habits" this week, I've been on the look out for other comments from clients that would offer hints about how best we can present ourselves to clients to have a better chance of winning assignments.
I almost dismissed an article about Tim Smit of Eden fame, headlined as rewriting the rules of business, but the final paragraph made me stop and think. Smit said “I discovered a technique that revolutionised my life. It’s called lying – or rather, the telling of future truths. It’s about putting yourself in the most public jeopardy possible and saying ‘I am going to do this’, so the shame of not doing it would be so great it energises every part of your being.”
I think there are times when telling a 'future truth' can help a client understand why we can help with their business event when we don't have the specific industry experience they're so often looking for. I think the trick is to come up with an experience that is close enough to be convincing and explain why that equips you perfectly both to help them and bring fresh ideas from a similar but different sphere. Of course, downright lying is most definitely not acceptable, but a little creativity and imagination may be all it takes to make your pitch stand out from the crowd!
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