During the meetings last month, the theme under discussion was “Find Your Tribe”. We explored how things have changed for our key clients and how we’ve adapted to match their needs, along with anticipating how things might change in the future.

Here are some of the things that cropped up in our discussions.

Find Your Tribe

  • People have been waiting to make any key purchasing decisions. In general, there's less money around (despite a few windfalls) so they're more precise about where they spend it.

  • Help clients to pay for higher-cost packages by using funding bodies that will spread the payment over 12 months. You get paid upfront and the risk of default is with the funder.

  • Look at retainer models wherever possible, providing a mix of content and teaching.

  • Don't charge by the hour. It should be about the value given, not time spent. Plus it's been shown to make you less happy (every hour not spent working can now be costed).

  • Earn money in order to be able to help the people you want to help.

  • Lots of people have been reflecting but getting tired.

  • A stranger will never want to work with you. How do you shorten the gap to them knowing and trusting you?

  • It’s essential to separate ‘self’ from the business in terms of making strategic decisions.

  • Always give them a choice.

  • Be a trusted advisor, not a seller.

  • Loyalty now will return in dividends later.

  • Communication is at the heart of everything.

  • Don’t just connect to sell. Some people just need a chat right now.

  • That thing you want to avoid like the plague – might just be the thing you need to do. Find a way to love it. Or don't seek it out, let it come to you. Put up enough boundaries so that you only work on the ones that you really enjoy working on. 

  • ‘Edutainment’ is the way forwards.

  • When deciding on whether or not to work with a client : “Would I spend 1 hour in a pub with them?”

  • Trust your gut unless you're out of synch with your body.

  • There has been so much time spent with family – need to find the quiet time again.

  • If someone is negative, just listen and reverse their words. Be positive in your own head. Say nothing but watch what happens.

  • You can have a pity party, just don't move in there.

  • To connect with the subconscious – just shut up.

  • It's my choice how I feel every second of the day.