Many professional services are event driven, meaning that a planned event creates a need for services.   For example, the movement of an operation can create needs for real estate brokers and attorneys, architects, engineers and others.  A downsizing often creates needs for actuaries and labor attorneys.  Unplanned events can do the same thing.  This might be a crisis, like a spill of hazardous materials, or result from a government action, such as a change in the law or in an administrative procedure.

Once the event becomes public, every eligible professional goes after the work it creates, especially in today’s economic environment.  Clients are swamped with so many offers of help from so many firms, that they put up barriers to protect their time.  It is often the professional who was tipped early of the coming event and so approached the client before everyone else and before the barriers went up, who gets the work.

The best way to do this, of course, is to have a close relationship with someone in the client organization who tips you.  But there are others.  Over the years I have known a number of people who read the help-wanted ads, having realized that a sudden increase in staff in a specific area often signals an impending event.  So, a company that is looking to increase its facilities staff may be planning a new building.  One hiring a number of human resource specialists is likely expecting major change in staff size.

My question today is:  What are other early signs that clients may soon have a need for your services?

This entry was posted on Monday, July 13th, 2009 at 6:37 am and is filed under Rain making. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.