This recommendation, solicited or not, is a very strong example of how to market a consulting business. Sales for consulting businesses can be more than half th

This recommendation, solicited or not, is a very strong example of how to market a consulting business. Sales for consulting businesses can be more than half the trick to making it go and selling services requires credibility. Most consulting businesses that I'm aware of start with one or a small number of existing relationships with built-in credibility and usually the business is started with at least one sale in pocket. When it's time to try and go beyond your initial customers recommendations especially public ones from past happy customers go a long way to establishing credibility and shortening the sales cycle. So it pays double or more in the long run if you can establish relationships with and take care of the directors, VPs and CEOs that you're working for regardless of who the hiring manager is.