32 ◾ Odyssey—The Business of Consulting
Having completed a thorough note taking and fact-finding M1, you will
then “pen sell”; thank them for their overview, which gave you an excellent
appreciation of the client’s business.
You then outline your business model for your potential client, using sto-
ries and connecting your business model to the potential solutions for their
challenges and opportunities. If you cannot help the client or if their chal-
lenges are outside your area of expertise, be upfront about it.
I recently met with a potential client, and as I listened to their situation, it
emerged that they required IT expertise. I simply recommended that they solve
those issues as a priority and perhaps revert to me once they had resolved
those issues. The secret is do not try to be all things to all people. If IT,
finance, social media, or other identified issues are not your area of specializa-
tion or expertise, make recommendations that they seek appropriate advice.
If, on the other hand, the challenges, objectives, and issues raised are
within your portfolio of expertise and remit, let the potential client know
that you will review the meeting and write a response letter reviewing the
key points of the discussion, giving a more in-depth overview of your busi-
ness and making a recommendation to move forward.
The Discovery Audit
Comprehensive diagnosis is essential to deliver an effective result-based REC
and value-based ODI—both of which are discussed in detail in the next
chapter. Right from the first meeting—the M1—you are examining the scope
and nature of the consulting assignment before you. You are consistently
uncovering the client’s opportunities, threats, weaknesses, and strengths.
You are “getting your arms around” the consulting assignment and working
to bring more clarity to the organizational challenges the client is struggling
with. Very often a discovery audit is conducted as an independent, fee-
based activity project before the REC stage.
Diagnostic Methods
There are several methods of gathering facts and information about the cli-
ent organization. These include:
◾ Records
◾ Special occasions/events
◾ Observations
◾ Interviews