2 Responses

1. Delivery:prospecting mix

   Jeremy

   As is often the case, I fear the only sensible answer is: it depends. I know a number of big consultancy firms work on a rough two thirds earning today’s money and one third earning tomorrows. But there are so many ifs and buts, particularly in the freelance market. I know of people who charge premium rates and spend fewer days paid delivery and a lot more on networking, speaking at events, writing, some pro bono work and enjoying some pretty good holidays. I know of others who operate on the basis that it is the work you do that generates the work you get. The more they do with clients, and the more clients they have, the more the work comes to them. Often this is repeat business, but word of mouth is powerful too. And most – even those with a good balanced business model -go through good times, when marketing seems less important, and through rough times, when clients disappear and winning new work is the day job.

   The upshot of all this is that I’d worry less about the precise percentages and more about the business model that people work to, the tactics for sustaining existing contracts and clients, and the techniques for generating new ones.

   Graham

2. adding to Graham’s excellent comment

   Jeremy

   A lot also depends on the business model used by the training provider; if they have people whose sole role is to generate business then the training consultants will ipso facto spend more time delivering (be that design or stand up delivery) and less selling….ditto if they provide admin and credit control staff.  Obviously in some organisations each consultant find and fulfills his or her own business so the mix is very different there.

   A consultancy that offers elearning operates on a very different dynamic and coaching is again, completely different to either face to face delivery or elearning.

   Sorry not to be more positive!

   Rus

   http://www.coach-and-courses.com