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Lately I've been thinking a lot about client results.

My conclusion is that producing consistent results for our clients is really the only way we can justify our existence as Independent Professionals. Everything else is missing the point.

Results are our biggest point of leverage.

When we produce results for clients, we automatically have tools that will make our marketing more effective -- Word-of-mouth, case studies, testimonials, articles about client projects, etc.

The best marketing in the world cannot overcome the handicap of producing inconsistent, ineffective results.

A question I ask my clients is: "If budget were not an issue, what service or program would you offer to your clients so that you could consistently produce the best possible results?"

What they invariably say is, "I would provide a more comprehensive, more expensive program than I'm offering now." Then I ask, "What are you selling now?" Their answer is that they are offering what they think the client can afford, not what they really need.

And why is this the case?

One, is that we are unwilling to take responsibility for producing results for a client. And two, we're afraid the client will say no to the larger and riskier (to our mind) proposal.

We're giving clients what they want, not what they need. And this is tantamount to giving a patient a bandage instead of an operation (when an operation is clearly what is called for.)

So we continue to offer one or two day training that does little more than get people excited for a few days. We offer coaching programs that are three months, or even less, when we know long-term sustainable change takes six months or more. We provide consulting advice but don't hold our clients accountable for implementing it.

If you want to stop struggling with marketing, one thing to change immediately is to take a firm stand for producing consistent results for your clients.

But how do you do that? Here are a few things I've discovered:

1. Ask what your clients really need. They don't need a process. They need a result. Ask yourself, "What is the Ultimate Outcome that my clients will be happy with?" And then find a way to package your services to deliver that Ultimate Outcome.

Example: "We will sell your business for you and get a better price than if you went through a traditional broker." Phil Hamilton went from offering business valuations at $10,000 to providing a complete package including selling the business, and now makes $150,000 per deal.

2. Have a big concept. We tend to think too small. We're focused on getting the next project, working with our clients and doing the best we can. What's the Big Concept that you offer? What will stimulate the imagination of your clients?

I went from offering marketing coaching sessions to the Marketing Action Groups and promised to "Hold Your Feet to the Fire." I now have a waiting list and doubled my business in 18 months.

3. Coach, don't just consult or train. Breakthroughs come from helping clients reach their goals. Doing it for them or telling them how to do it is insufficient. Your projects or programs need to hold your clients accountable for getting the job done while you empower them to find the answers for themselves.

Example: John Callos and Kevin Kelsey went from selling consulting services to delivering comprehensive, results-oriented programs for bank executives that include consulting, coaching and training. In the process they doubled their business.

4. Do joint ventures. You can only do so much by yourself. Who can you bring in to do a piece of the work? Could you gain access to companies through an associate who has the client relationships you need but not the expertise you possess?

Example: This was the key for Phil Hamilton. He had the contacts but needed more resources. By bringing together a group of top professionals they could offer more, get better results and increase their income dramatically.

5. Think long-term. Short programs are merely bandages. Your clients will ultimately lose their investment if they, in the name of cost savings, only commit to short programs. Develop long-term programs and guarantee results (if the client does their fair share of the work).

Example: In the six-month Marketing Action Groups we guarantee participants will be happy with the results they produce or they may ask for a full refund. But they need to attend all the sessions and do their homework.

Time to focus on results above all else.

Make the foundation of your marketing the results you produce for your clients. Create services and programs designed to deliver those results and don't compromise. Give clients what they need, not what they want.