When a prospective client says, “We have a committee handling the selection process for this assignment,” you might feel the urge to pack it up and head back to the office.

Maybe it’s called by another name–a task force, work group, or an evaluation team–but journalist Richard Harkness once observed that a committee is “a group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary.”

For companies steeped in the committee tradition, though, members can take comfort from the knowledge that they have little or no personal accountability for their decisions. If you ask about a decision that didn’t go your way, for instance, they can pin the blame on “the committee” and dodge your inquiry.

No matter what clients tell you, a committee isn’t a decision-making body at all. Someone (or a small cadre) on that committee is calling the shots. The others may have veto power, but they rarely have the influence to counter the wishes of the real decision maker(s).

Playing only to a committee as a whole is a fool’s errand. As with any sale, your job is to find the decision makers, understand their perspectives on value, and co-design a solution with them that outshines anything your competitors can offer.

If you’re facing a selection committee and you haven’t any idea who has influence, or where the power lies, think twice before jumping into the fray. There’s a high likelihood that one of your competitors does know the lay of the land.

I’m not suggesting that you walk away from clients who use a committee process (though some consultants choose to do that). But you do need to find a path to the real decision makers on a committee and appeal to them.

If a decision maker rebuffs your efforts, you may already be out of the running. So don’t be surprised if you eventually hear your committee liaison say, “Sorry, you weren’t selected for this project. The committee opted to go in another direction.”

In working with clients, our actions and decisions are often based on our perceptions about the meaning behind the behavior of others. Because that meaning can be so hard to decipher, you might underestimate or discount the importance of understanding what clients are thinking and why.

Of course, you always have to offer clients a fact-based case for action. But, in doing so, the ability to accurately read the people around you will help you influence change, communicate more effectively, and save you time and trouble.

In this month’s issue of The Guerrilla Consultant, I suggest some ways you can test your perceptions about what is really going on in clients’ heads.

Read this month’s issue.

We’ve all been involved with sales opportunities that seemed to take forever to close. In spite of our best efforts to move the process along, someone or something conspires against the sale, and it drags on.

While many of the tactics you might use to “speed up the client’s buying cycle” could lead to a win, they could also work against your long-term interests. That’s the subject of this month’s article in The Guerrilla Consultant newsletter. Read the article.

If you’ve been consulting for more than a week, you’ve likely heard a client ask, “What are your deliverables for the project?” Sometimes, you get that question even after you and the client have agreed on project objectives, tasks, and expected value.

Some clients (and consultants too) just aren’t comfortable unless there are compulsory deliverables for you to dutifully create, package, and submit for approval. I’ve seen some consultants agree to tie their fees to the client’s acceptance of interim work product. That makes about as much sense as paying for part of a haircut before the barber has finished cutting your hair.

I know that complex projects and many IT initiatives need formal milestones with reviews of what you have accomplished. But too often, a deliverable, which is supposed to be a means to an end, becomes an end in itself.

It’s common to see project teams fixating on how they’re going to put together deliverables to gain the client’s approval, instead of focusing on the underlying success of the project. It’s not hard to find failed projects that have a long paper trail of approved deliverables.

Few things divert you from the real goals of a client project more than slavish dedication to creating deliverables, which can end up being of dubious value anyway. Change happens during any project, so a deliverable may not be relevant by the time you finish it.

Sure, it’s essential to measure progress. Just be sure that you don’t equate project success with meeting requirements for deliverables. Once you confuse the two, you’ve lost sight of why the client hired you in the first place, and it won’t take your client long to figure that out.

In an earlier post, I outlined the five essential elements of a winning sales strategy, which together give you a better chance to win any services sale:

1. A Compelling Story – Help clients see their future and your role in the story.
2. An Airtight Case for Change – Why your client needs to make a change now.
3. A Comprehensive View of Value – Address obvious and unexpected sources of value.
4. Mitigation of Risk – Take the reasons to say no out of the equation.
5. Trustworthiness and Trust – Transform trustworthy into trusted.

First up for a more detailed discussion is how to offer clients a compelling story.

It’s not exactly a newsflash that stories are a powerful tool for communicating ideas. You don’t have to look far to find many articles, books, and workshops on crafting the perfect story. If it’s true that we’re all enamored of a good story, why do so many sellers leave their best stories behind when they head into a sales meeting?

Maybe sellers (and their managers) believe it’s just safer to stick to the facts. Well, think about the last dry, fact-based sales presentation you listened to. If you were still awake when the speaker finished the corporate overview, you likely still had to endure a heavy dose of unreadable slides, dense charts, and generic case studies.

Lulling clients to sleep like that during a sales meeting is hardly a safe bet. But sellers do that, over and over. The good news is that leaves plenty of opportunity to connect more effectively with clients and strengthen your position by animating your presentations with stories.

In any services sale, consider using stories with at least two aims. First, help your clients understand the need for change. Your stories can confirm or illustrate the urgency for the client to take action and also address resistance to change. In short, the story should breathe life into the problem or issue the client is facing by showing the implications of maintaining the status quo.

After all, the toughest competitor you’ll usually face is the client’s “do nothing” option. To beat that competitor, you’ll need more than a handful of facts. A good story can help push through the natural inertia that prevents change.

You could craft stories that show how others met similar challenges, but it’s best to highlight precisely how the issue impacts your client. You might tell a story about how unresponsive information systems affect customer service, for example. Or you could relate how one of your client’s best customers suffers as a result of seemingly small errors in the information your systems generate.

Maybe you have a video of the customer talking about late shipments, unknown order status, and incorrectly shipped packages. You could underscore the point by showing how the client’s sales reps and warehouse workers struggle with the customer complaints that arise from the systems problems.

What’s important is to tell the story behind the facts. Don’t just report that customer complaints are on the rise. Let your client hear from the customer directly via quotes, video, audio, or in person. Nothing connects with clients faster than experiencing the impact of the current issues on customers, employees, and others.

The second point of using a story is to paint a picture of the client’s future once the proposed project is done. Too many sales presentations and proposals get bogged down in unimaginative descriptions of “deliverables” and “end products” and lose sight of what the future will really look like. Offering a laundry list of “value” may seem to be a good way to comply with your client’s request, but think again.

Everyone you compete with will generate that same list. When the client compares your proposals side by side, it may be impossible to tell one firm from another. Once that happens, you’ve lost any advantage you might have had. Using a story of how your client’s business will change adds a compelling dimension to your proposal.

You can begin with relevant testimonials from other clients to tell the story of how you changed their businesses. If possible, get those testimonials in more than just written form. And be sure each testimonial is tailored to fit your client’s challenge.

But you can do more.

Why not ask your client’s customers to comment on how their lives will change if the proposed project is successful? And don’t forget the client’s employees. They can add to your narrative of what the future holds if your client achieves your vision of the future.

You won’t always need to tell an elaborate story with video interviews and extensive testimonials, nor will your client necessarily want that. But, as a rule, think about how you can use stories to enliven your sales strategy. Sticking to the facts and figures may be comfortable, but that strategy can easily backfire.

If you’ve read about the power of stories, the first thing you learn is that we’re all “wired” to learn through stories. Given that so much of selling is an educational process, why not use every tool at your disposal, including the story? Your clients will thank you.

During the sales process, clients give us clues about their intent. Sometimes, a client’s off-the-cuff comment offers more insight than what you learn any other way. Whenever you hear variations on the themes below, you might pause and reflect on whether you want to leave the sale to someone else.

• We expect budget approval next month, but we need your proposal now. Remember, without an approved budget, there is no project.

• You will need to deliver your service a lot faster than that. To accelerate any project, you’ll need to review changes to scope, objectives, the team, and fees.

• We tried to do this once before but the people we hired dropped the ball. Project failures are rarely caused solely by an outside service provider.

• We will name our project manager as soon as we decide who gets the contract. Once a manager is announced, expect changes to your project plan.

• Another consulting firm wrote the outline for our Request for Proposals (RFP). Be sure the project isn’t wired for your competitor.

• We have 12 proposals under review as of now. Is your client serious or kicking tires?

• We are insisting on a fixed-fee, fixed-schedule proposal. You may be able to offer either a fixed fee or a fixed schedule. But beware of offering both, as that could be a recipe for disaster.

Ask any consultant about the importance of client relationships to the success of a practice and you’ll hear a predictable response: they are essential. Many firms take a systematic approach to relationship building and have embraced account-based marketing for selected clients.

Account-based marketing (ABM), which is loosely defined as allocating time, people, and money to specified clients for a more consistent stream of business from them, works for firms that know what they’re doing.

Consultants at Altera Group looked closely at the use of ABM across a range of service firms and reported that:

• 97 percent said ABM had either a somewhat higher or much higher ROI than other marketing initiatives.

• 84 percent said ABM provided significant benefits in retaining and expanding existing client relationships.

In spite of that potential, it’s always proven difficult for firm executives to make the transition from a purely opportunistic sales strategy to an account-based management process. Most consultants are comfortable teeing up sales leads and projects from whatever sources they can find. But a true account-based marketing program demands discipline, patience, and commitment, and isn’t right for everyone.

So, before you jump into an ABM strategy, consider these three points:

1. The best account managers are specialists in their area of expertise. The account manager must bring something of value to the client relationship. Otherwise, the client will view that individual only as a salesperson. In an ABM relationship, that’s the kiss of death.

2. Firm leaders need patience. Some firms don’t see a real return on their investment in relationships for months or even years. Every account manager needs a clear set of goals and accountability guidelines for the relationship. And those goals may be very different from others in the practice. Also, in spite of what you may think, a consultant doesn’t necessarily have all of the skills to manage a strategic account just by virtue of having managed client projects. Account managers need new tools, education, and strategies to succeed.

3. Choose strategic accounts carefully. Before you commit to an ABM strategy for a specific client, be sure you have a decent shot at success. Some clients don’t want strategic relationships with anyone. Others may seem like candidates for ABM, but may not be. You’ll want to assess the client’s interest in establishing deeper relationships with your firm, the likely demand for services over time, and the extent of the investment you’ll make to create a mutually beneficial relationship.

Under the right circumstances, firms can be very successful targeting specific clients. What’s less certain is whether firm leaders have the patience to let relationships build to a profitable point. Often, it takes longer and is harder than they think.

Few things are as frustrating as an unresponsive client. You’ve probably experienced this at some point: You shared a great idea with a client, suggested next steps, and then…nothing.

The client doesn’t return your calls, emails go unanswered, and you’re left wondering what’s wrong. Assuming you’re confident that it’s not about you, maybe you chalk it up to the time demands of a busy client and keep trying to make contact. Sometimes that works. But it’s also possible there’s more going on.

If a client isn’t responding, put yourself in the client’s shoes for a moment and ask yourself a simple question: What would make you call you back?

Most people return sellers’ calls when three conditions are present. First, the subject of the call is a high priority. It can be interesting to discuss a thought-provoking topic with a seller. But, if it isn’t on the priority list, don’t expect a rapid response to any follow up.

Second, the issue is front and center on the radar screen. Clients’ to-do lists are overflowing with high-priority issues, but only a small number are critical at any moment. If your great idea isn’t getting attention, it’s probably because your client isn’t thinking about it now. If your idea really is a good one, the client is likely to get around to it eventually.

Finally, the idea must be from a credible source in the client’s eyes. Your idea may be relevant and timely, but the client doesn’t think that you are the one to pull it off. If that’s the case, expect the client to look elsewhere for help.

Lots of us believe that we know what our clients need. But we may not know when they need it, or when they’re receptive to hearing what we have to say. Without that knowledge, it’s easy to miss the mark on the three prerequisites for a client call back. Your idea may be relevant, but not timely. Or it could be credible, but not relevant.

What’s most important is to understand the client’s perspective on timeliness, relevance, and credibility, and not rely on your own view. Once you get that right, your clients will call you back.

We all have times when we wish we could be a fly on the wall–during clients’ internal deliberations about us, for example. The fate of a project or sale is most often decided behind closed doors and out of your hearing. And it can be disconcerting not to know for sure what  others are saying about you.

When people make decisions, there are reasons and then there are reasons. Each person’s total perception of value and the risk associated with achieving that value are what influence a decision. Usually, the reasons you hear for a decision are only part of the story.

When you win a project, it’s easy to take a client’s explanation for the decision at face value. After all, that rationale is likely to reinforce your own views of why you should have won. If you choose to remain unaware of the complete set of reasons for the win, though, you’ll jeopardize your ability to deliver the value your clients expect.

Maybe a client tells you that project success means finishing the work on-time, within budget, and with the expected outcome. But it’s likely that client is also concerned about other ramifications, like career advancement, peer approval, and avoiding risk, to name a few. And it’s probable that your client chose you, in part, because of your ability to meet those other objectives.

You’ll deliver a better outcome and strengthen your client relationships if you uncover and understand your client’s total perception of value. The simplest way to do that? Be curious. Ask questions. The more you learn about your clients as individuals, the more likely you are to understand their unspoken definition of success.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day demands of client work. But it always pays dividends to take a step back, connect with your client, and be sure you focus on all of the client’s expectations of value.

“I hate surprises.” More than one client has told me that, and you’ve probably heard it too.

Most surprises, especially the bad ones like a blown deadline, take shape long before they become a reality. You may not prevent some surprises, but an early-warning system can help you predict them before you have a full-blown problem on your hands.

Consider these nine common causes of surprises that can put any client project on the ropes.

1. Unknown stakeholders may seem to come out of nowhere to influence a project’s direction, outcome, resources, or schedule. You can be sure these people are out there. Identify them early by asking all your client contacts to help you understand who the influencers in the organization are.
2. Unexpected resistance goes beyond the normal objections to change that most of us routinely encounter. As you might guess, unknown stakeholders are often the source of unexpected resistance.
3. External events can have a profound effect on any project. A client merger or acquisition, for example, can stop a project dead in its tracks. Keep an eye on how the external environment impacts your effort.
4. Poor chemistry on a team can sidetrack its best efforts and sink a project quickly. Interpersonal issues often don’t surface until it’s too late to reverse the damage.
5. Late delivery of anything usually wreaks havoc with the project schedule. Before you decide that the schedule doesn’t need to be changed because the team “will catch up,” be sure your plan is achievable.
6. Fuzzy project objectives result in a lack of a common understanding about what you will accomplish. Without agreement about where you and the client want to go, you won’t get there. No matter how much you’ve discussed scope and objectives with your client, keep it on the front burner throughout the project.
7. Lack of demonstrable progress can create a perception that the project is floundering, even if it isn’t. Project teams shouldn’t keep their accomplishments a secret. Plan to achieve regular milestones on a predefined schedule.
8. Executive turnover can cause a change in project direction, or may even result in a project being cancelled. Because so much of what happens in a client organization is beyond your view, you may not see this one coming. Keeping a candid and open line of communication with a range of client executives can help you read the tea leaves.
9. Project team emergencies occur with regularity, especially during large or lengthy projects. Be sure you have a Plan B ready in case a team emergency strikes.

It’s impossible to prevent all of the potential surprises you’ll face in your client work. But if you keep these nine causes in mind, you’re more likely to experience pleasant surprises, instead of the dreaded ones.