Consultants Get This Wrong About Their Own Business
Doug Brown of CEO Sales Strategies explains why most coaches and consultants are in the wrong business mindset — and how the client acquisition shift changes everything.
Hosts: Percy Barr, Wayne Pratt and Bernie Franzgrote
Doug Brown of CEO Sales Strategies explains why consultants struggle to scale — and the client acquisition system that fixes it. East Trade Winds S3E031.
GROWTH CATEGORY: Sales & Revenue
Most consultants are excellent at their craft. That's not the problem. The problem is they've mistaken their craft for their business. Doug Brown has spent years helping coaches, consultants, and 9-figure companies fix that blind spot — and in this East Trade Winds session, he lays out exactly how.
Watch the full conversation here:
WHO THIS IS FOR
SMB owners / Solopreneurs / Coaches and consultants / Leaders building systems
Key Lessons
1. You are in the client acquisition business.
Every coach and consultant is, whether they accept it or not. Your service is the delivery mechanism. The business is generating and converting leads. Doug puts it plainly: a painter who can't sell jobs sits in their truck. A consultant who can't acquire clients sits with a full skill set and an empty pipeline. The moment you accept that client acquisition is your primary job, everything shifts.
2. Build six lead generation methods — and measure them honestly.
Doug recommends a minimum of six ways to drive leads into your business. Events, speaking, podcasting, referrals, outreach, partnerships — whatever fits your market. But here's the part most people skip: measure them. When Doug applied this to his own business, he discovered that four of his six methods were producing almost nothing. The ones that remained became the foundation. He also adds one more filter — do you actually enjoy doing it? Sustained effort comes from methods you'll actually keep doing.
3. Referral extension compounds faster than new client outreach.
Your existing clients already trust you. The decision cycle is shorter and the fees tend to be higher. Doug shared how one client at $3,500 a month eventually led to a $180,000 engagement — because he stayed in touch, showed up at the right moment, and asked a simple question. He also describes extending through your network: building relationships with complementary service providers who pay a referral percentage, adding six figures a year in revenue without doing the delivery work yourself.
Practical Steps
- Map your six. Write down every lead generation method you're currently using. Rate each one: is it producing results, and do you actually want to keep doing it? Cut what doesn't pass both tests.
- Commit to 10% this year. Set a specific revenue target that is 10% above your current baseline. Reverse-engineer what needs to change in your client acquisition to hit it. Review monthly.
- Ask one referral question. After your next client win or positive feedback moment, ask: "Who else in your network is dealing with this same challenge?" That one question, asked consistently, builds a referral pipeline faster than any outbound campaign.
About the Guest
Doug Brown is the CEO of CEO Sales Strategies. He helps business owners and sales teams fix poor performance by building systems that increase revenue quickly and consistently. Doug has worked with companies from the solopreneur level to 9-figure enterprises, helping them achieve close rates of 80% or more. His focus is on turning inconsistent results into repeatable revenue. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
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FAQ
Q: Is this advice only for coaches and consultants? Not at all. The client acquisition framework Doug outlines applies to any service-based business. If you sell expertise, relationships, or results — this is your business model.
Q: What if I already have clients but growth feels stalled? That's exactly the scenario Doug addresses. Stalled growth usually means you're focused on delivery and not enough on acquisition. The 10% rule and referral extension strategies are designed for this exact situation.
Q: How do I know which of my six lead generation methods to keep? Doug's two filters: is it producing a return on your investment, and do you actually enjoy doing it? If a method fails either test, replace it. Both filters matter for sustainability.
