As you begin your career as a Salesforce Consultant it may seem like the easiest way to get clients is to load up on certifications and hope for the best. While certifications are certainly helpful to you as you learn and grow with Salesforce (Check out this piece from SalesforceU for more on certifications), they should not be the only resource you utilize to win clients and turn a profit.
Your Certification Won’t Be Enough
Let’s say you are up against one other candidate for a consultant position with a top client. Your certifications should be seen only as tie breakers between you and another equally qualified candidate. The other factors are things you need to work on tirelessly as you grow. Here are examples of some suggestions for winning clients and breaking that tie.
It should be noted that it is rare for a consultant, especially one just starting out, to possess all of these skills, but building a portfolio of experiences that covers at least a handful of these areas will make it easier to get on the slate of final candidates and win that gig.
Industry Experience
Obviously, having experience in Salesforce is a huge advantage when starting your consulting career. Proven success in a relevant context like Mergers and Acquisitions are important if the primary goal of the company is growth. Profit and Loss leadership on a similar scale is beneficial as well. And of course, show off your operational and financial acumen with proven strategies to increase profitability.
If your industry experience is lacking because you're just getting started, build and utilize your network for tips on breaking into the industry. Your network holds a valuable cache of insights and advice. Read as much as you can to increase your financial understanding and confidence. Attend virtual classes and events that will increase your knowledge of the market. Do whatever you can to learn and put your knowledge to use in the field.
Strong Leadership
On top of industry experience, an impressive candidate will exhibit strong leadership skills. Clients want to see that you can attract and develop talent. And they want to see that you can lead not just when projects are going well, but also when maybe, you’re running behind schedule, your team misses a deadline, or the final outcome falls short of client expectations.
Can you create a strategic vision and then execute it with efficiency? What about experience where you proved your ability to set direction and champion change? What were the positive and negative results of those implementations? Show your clients that you can lead even when it’s hard because that is where your strongest skills will stand out. Prove to them, through your past experience, that you can learn from your mistakes and own up to them in a way that is beneficial to your team.
Breadth of Experience
Along with your industry experience, you should also have experience across multiple different types of business problems and roles. For example, you may have experience delivering growth or improving operational efficiencies, which are useful to a Salesforce Consultant. Maybe you have international experience. When relevant, that experience is crucial because it speaks to how well you can communicate with people from different backgrounds. It displays adaptability and quick thinking on your part because it suggests you are knowledgeable in different business management styles.
The ability to work not only with your team effectively but also with the board and external stakeholders will contribute to the breadth of your experience as well. The more you can bring to the table, the better equipped you are to handle any problem a client may throw at you, and the more likely an impressed client will want you on their side.
Soft Skills
Clients want to see your experience and knowledge of the industry, but they also what to know if they will be able to work effectively with you. As a consultant, show off your soft skills—teamwork, self-motivation, responsibility—to go the extra mile and solidify yourself as someone clients not only want to work with but would want to form a long-lasting relationship with.
Works Well with Others
In addition to the soft skills, good consultants must be able to work well with the client’s team. You are coming into their space and need to establish yourself as a team player but also someone who is prepared to suggest and implement strategic ideas that meet the team’s expectations. To do this well, make sure you fully understand what the client is trying to do and what they want the end result to be. Practice attentive listening and ask questions if you are ever unsure of the direction.
Handling Resistance
Whether your client nixes one of your brilliant implementation strategies or their team decides to go in a different direction, learn to handle that resistance in a productive way. Just because someone threw a wrench in your idea does not mean you should give up. This plays into your adaptability (Components of Vitality: Adaptability) and you should be prepared to shift gears. On the other hand, there are times where you may need to fight for your idea. In that case, present your argument respectfully and based on facts to demonstrate to a client why your idea will work, how it will be executed, and what the end result will be.
Develop a Career Strategy
Once you’re ready to throw your hat in the ring and start winning gigs, make sure you develop a career strategy. That may include some introspection as you learn more about yourself and your work style. Figure out what you want to get out of your career and learn about the various opportunities company offers.
Check out these resources for great information on career development and planning strategies. And read through some sample interview questions and answers for more insight on Salesforce Admin positions.
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