Yesterday’s Lightbulb on helping the ‘pre-pain’ client wasn’t just a byproduct of a minor medical procedure.

It’s been a very real and consistent theme with my clients recently:

• A startup advisor hoping to help his CEO clients steer clear of disastrous executive hires
• A fractional data leader warning her clients to pay attention to early cracks in their reporting
• An event monetization strategist seeking to prevent live event organizers from flubbing their big ephemeral moment

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In each of these cases, you see the pattern:

1. I (the consultant) have been down this road enough to see the very predictable pitfalls
2. You (the client) are on the path to fall into them
3. Let me help you avoid them, and spare you the pain

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Sounds like an obvious value prop, right?

So, why is this a tough sell?

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Speaking to clients in this mindset is a much different conversation than talking to a client in acute pain.

When someone’s house is on fire, you don’t need to tell them why it’s happening.

You focus should be on solution first, then speed-to-results.

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When the pain hasn’t arrived yet, you’ll find that the client either:

• Is not aware there’s a potential problem ahead
• Believe it won't happen to them
• Or, thinks it won’t be that bad, even if they do

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In this pre-pain mindset, you need a different playbook:

1. Share your frameworks + other IP assets far and wide to educate them broadly about the problem
2. Use case studies of clients to show them exactly who it happens to
3. Detail the dark scenarios to highlight the long term impact of inaction

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And then you get to flip the conversation and say:

Here’s how I make all of that go away…

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💡

-Wes

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P.S. Missing the visual assets to tell that pre-pain story?

The IP Builder Sprint pilot is sold-out and underway! Join the waitlist here to first dibs to May slots opening next week.

No obligation, just early access.