“If your mind is empty, it is ready for anything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.” – Shunryu Suzuki, Born May 18, 1904.
One of the big mistakes a lot of new consultants and beginning freelance service providers make is to overplay their hand.
The prospect wants a swift and simple solution to a problem that has proven too complicated or unmanageable for them.
They've already admitted that to themselves by going looking for your alleged expert help.
But how often will the inexperienced beginner think that the right thing to do is to “wow” their prospective client with a dazzling array of possibilities when it comes to their potential solution?
This sort of makes sense. Show them you're knowledgable and flexible, right? Show them that no matter what they decide, you can pull it off. Sounds right, right?
Hell to the NO!
Don't do that!
Your job is to ELIMINATE ALL POSSIBILITIES but the BEST one for them at this particular time. They want someone confident enough to tell them the one exact thing they need to do to solve their problem.
They don't give a crap about all the other stuff you know how to do in all the other myriad situations that don't apply to them.
They want best solution – the ONLY one – for their exact situation. If you still feel the need to show off your knowledge, use it in your explanation of why your one chosen option is the ideal one.
That's what an expert does.
So remember, don't make this rookie mistake, because it makes you look like a rookie.
The “we can do anything you want” pitch only tells the prospect that hiring you means you will constantly defer to them to make decisions about inconsequential junk they don't know anything about.
They want an expert who knows all that, and will handle it for them, without bothering them with the minutia every minute.
Be that.