Here's the smartest way to grow your consulting business
Welcome to the Dojo!
Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve covered pre-sales and project management—how to win the work and deliver it properly.
But there’s one part of consulting that’s often overlooked… and it’s where some of the easiest growth comes from.
That’s what I want to cover in this week’s newsletter and you can also find more details on it in the video that I released last week.
On the Mat
- Let’s Train: How to “Land and Expand”
- Ask Feras: “I don’t want to come across as pushy. How do I bring up additional work?”
- Sharpen the Blade: The No-Burnout Playbook for Successful Consulting
Let's Train
Most consultants treat delivery like a finish line.
They complete the work, send the final deliverables, maybe get a “thank you”… and then move on to chase the next client.
On the surface, that feels productive, in reality, it’s inefficient.
Because what you’ve built during that engagement is not just a deliverable.
You’ve built:
- Trust
- Context
- Access
And those are far more valuable than any single project.
Here’s the reality: It costs significantly more to acquire a new client than to keep an existing one, 5 times as much.
Yet most consultants operate as if every new project needs to start from zero.
The more effective approach is what I call “land and expand.”
You land the initial project, then you expand the relationship.
That doesn’t mean being pushy or constantly selling.
It means staying engaged and thinking like a partner, not a vendor.
After a project ends, ask yourself:
- What new challenges is this client likely facing now?
- How does the work we just completed connect to broader outcomes?
- What would the next logical step look like?
For example:
If you helped a client improve their reporting, the next step might be helping them use those insights to make better decisions.
If you optimized a process, the next step might be scaling that process across other teams.
This is where your role evolves. You’re no longer just delivering a project. You’re guiding the client forward.
From a business perspective, this shift opens up opportunities for:
- Retainers
- Ongoing advisory work
- Continuous optimization
Instead of one-off engagements, you start building recurring relationships.
Growth in consulting doesn’t just come from adding more clients, it comes from deepening the relationships you already have.
Ask Feras Recap
🔥 The Challenge
"I don’t want to come across as pushy. How do I bring up additional work?"
🛠️ What I Told Them
Don’t position it as selling. Position it as progression. Show the client what naturally comes next based on the results you’ve already delivered. If it’s logical and valuable, it won’t feel forced.
Also, don’t try to expand the scope before you’ve demonstrated value. Focus first on delivering strong results and building trust.
Once that foundation is in place, share your observations—whether it’s a gap, inefficiency, or new opportunity—understand what the client has already done about it, and then position how you can help move things forward.
Sharpen the Blade
The project is closed. But the business relationship shouldn’t be. A lot of consultants treat delivery like a finish line.
They complete the work, send the final files, maybe get a “thank you”… and then move on to chase the next client. You’re leaving a lot on the table.
I break this down in more detail in my latest video, including how to turn one project into ongoing opportunities. If you want to grow without constantly chasing new clients, watch it here.
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