“People just want me to do the execution”, I hear a lot.
Selling advisory services is “harder” than selling execution when you’re just getting started.
Part of that comes down to how you sell it and part of it comes down to your prospects’ belief about the value of having access to just your brain.
The way to fix this is by demonstrating credibility. You need to be seen as someone who can credibly deliver on a result without using your hands.
That might be easier said than done, but once you establish credibility, selling advisory services is not any more difficult than selling execution.
After all, people don’t care how you get an outcome as long as you do can do it profitably with the least amount of stress possible.
You can build your credibility in at least three main ways:
- Third-party validation (appearances on credible podcasts/blogs/media, speaking at conferences, word of mouth recommendations, testimonials, etc.)
- Proof of results (case studies, portfolio examples, etc.)
- Signals of competence (tightly-niched positioning, daily publishing, writing a book, building a community, high-profile clients, partnerships, or past employers, years doing what you do, etc.)
The more specific your positioning, the easier it is to establish yourself as a credible expert worth paying for access to your brain.
Your expertise needs to be rare and valuable. You can’t do that if you’re spread to broadly with your positioning.
Focus on building credibility before trying to go wide with your marketing and it will be a lot easier to sell advisory services.
