3 Steps to Land L&D Clients (Without Wasting Time)

4 minutes to read

New L&D consultants often hit a wall when it comes to landing clients.

It’s not a lack of skill.

And it’s not because the market isn’t lucrative.

The real problem? They’re focusing on all the wrong things.

They get lost in a whirlwind of distractions:

• Constantly tweaking their website
• Obsessing over logos and branding
• Engaging in endless L&D debates online
• Managing too many social media accounts
• Experimenting with every new tool under the sun

Sound familiar?

Here’s the hard truth: Clients don’t care about any of that.

They only care about two things:

1. Can you solve their problem?
2. Will you actually do it?

But before you can answer those questions, you need to attract the right people—those who are actually ready to invest in your expertise.

And that’s where natural selection comes in.

The Natural Selection Approach to Client Attraction

In the wild, lions don’t waste energy chasing every zebra in sight.

Instead, they stir up the herd, observe, and identify the 3% that stand out: the ones who are vulnerable, distracted, or lagging behind.

Only then do they pounce.

Your approach to client attraction should work the same way.

Instead of chasing everyone, you strategically stir up the market and watch how it fragments. The right clients will reveal themselves, and that’s when you take action.

Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Pick Your Niche (Know Your Prey)

Imagine a lion wandering the savanna without a clue what it wants to eat.

One minute it's after a water buffalo, the next a gazelle, and then a warthog.

It’s exhausting. And pointless.

Without a clear focus, it won’t catch anything.

The same goes for your consulting business. If you don't define your niche, you'll waste time chasing everything and everyone and end up with nothing.

Get specific. Who are you helping? What’s their biggest pain? Nail this down, and you’ll know exactly where to look and who to go after.

Step 2: Research Your Market (Avoid Becoming the Prey)

Ever seen a clueless zebra try to take on a lion? It doesn’t end well.

If you jump into the market without understanding it, you’ll be that zebra.

Instead, do your research.

• What problems are your niche struggling with?
• What solutions have they already tried?
• What keeps them up at night?

Build a hypothesis about what they need and how your services can help. Test it. Refine it.

This prep work saves you from wasting time on things that don’t matter and ensures your offer hits the mark.

Step 3: Stimulate Your Market (Stir the Herd)

Now that you know your niche and have done your research, it’s time to make a move.

You don’t need to chase anyone.

Instead, put yourself in front of them and let them self-select.

How? Through strategic outreach:

• Sending direct messages (free)
• Posting valuable insights on social media (free)
• Running targeted ads (expensive)
• Engaging in relevant communities (free)

These actions act as your "stimulus." They get attention, create movement, and help you identify the ones who are truly interested.

Not everyone will bite. In fact, most won’t.

But that’s the point.

When you send 100 messages, maybe 30 people will respond.

Those 30 get filtered down to 15 after a follow-up.

Then 5 make it to a discovery call.

And 3 becomes a paying client.

That’s natural selection in action.

The Bottom Line

Stop wasting energy chasing everyone.

Instead, focus on attracting the right people by:

• Choosing a specific niche
• Conducting smart market research
• Strategically positioning yourself to stir interest

The rest? Let them go.

The lion doesn't chase every zebra; neither should you.

Focus your time and energy where it counts, and you'll build a consulting business that thrives.