How to Have More Conversations With Potential Clients

Over the past year growing Chicken Dinner Club, I’ve talked to dozens of independent consultants. The ones struggling the most talk themselves out of opportunities before they ever talk to a potential client.

Here are a few of the excuses I’ve heard:

• People are not hiring consultants because they’re too worried about Trump and Putin.
• A CTO would never hire me because he’s supposed to know this stuff already.
• My experience in banking isn’t relevant in software.
• This industry only hires big firms like Bain or BCG.
• It’s the summer, so people aren’t buying.

False, false, false, false, false.

These are the lies we tell ourselves to justify our inaction. They shift the blame from our own performance to things we can’t control—the market, the government, and the economy.

But shifting blame doesn’t bring clients. Action does.

3 reasons why you're not bringing in work

If you’re not bringing in enough work, look here first. It’s usually one of these three things:

1. Your offer isn’t desirable
2. You’re not talking to enough people
3. You’re not talking to the right people

Here is the truth: people with a migraine will pay anything for an ibuprofen.

Your job is to find people in pain and bring the painkiller.

Two years ago, I was in a tough spot. A long-term client relationship ended overnight when a PE firm acquired the company. I’d been too comfortable, coasting a little, and let my network go cold. Suddenly, I had no pipeline—and no plan.

I started having conversations. My process wasn’t fancy. I reached out to 400 people every month. About 40 replied. From those replies, I booked 10–20 meetings.

After 63 conversations, I’d signed five contracts.

I hadn’t even designed my consulting offer yet—I just listened for problems I could help with.

Three contracts were for Customer Experience work, but I was also hired as a blogger and a LinkedIn coach.

All because I listened for what was worrying people and offered to help.

How to have more conversations this week

If you need clients fast, here’s what to do this week:

1. Download your list of LinkedIn connections.
2. Find 100 people who could hire you or refer you to someone who could hire you
3. Send them this message:

Can I get your advice? I’m focused on growing my consulting business, and I’d like to better serve [industry, company type, or role]. Would you be opposed to a quick, 15-minute call about your experience and perspective?

This works because it gets you out of your own head and into conversations with people you can serve. And people love to give advice.

What if they reveal a challenge that you can help with? You say this:

[Name], I really appreciate your willingness to talk to me and share your advice. You mentioned you were frustrated about [problem]. Would you be open to a separate conversation about how I could help you [desired outcome]?

Framing it up for a separate conversation gives them control of the decision, which takes the pressure of you and them.

You won’t find clients by thinking harder. You find clients by having conversations.