Feeding geese
Last week we broke the financial year down into 12 bite-sized rocks and reminded ourselves that revenue targets aren’t Everest. They’re more like IKEA flat packs, manageable with the right tools (and preferably a small Allen key).
This week, we move onto the base layer of any target: EXISTING REVENUE. It’s the cheapest, easiest, most secure revenue you’ll ever find, as long as you don’t become complacent.
Here’s your Three Things this week to lock in the good stuff and start sniffing out what else might be lying around. Enjoy.
#1. Reconnect first – then go beyond the matter
Before you do anything clever, do this:
- Go back over every client you billed last year
- Highlight anyone you haven’t spoken to since
- Find a reason to reconnect – it doesn’t have to be deep
Once you’re in touch, don’t default to “how’s the matter going?”. Have a different kind of conversation. Talk about the market, not the mandate.
“What’s the mood like internally at the moment?”
“What are you hearing about Labour’s regulatory plans?”
“Any impact of the Trump tariffs on your business? What are you doing to mitigate them?”
These non-matter convos are gold. You get market intelligence, strategic insight, and a reason to go back to others and say: “I’ve had a few clients raise the same thing – are you seeing the same?”
If you’re brave enough to connect the dots, you’re not just their lawyer / accountant / engineer. You’re their compass.
#2. Land, expand – and bring a mate
Happy customer? Good. Now’s the time to dig a little deeper.
“What else is on your radar this quarter?”
“Which other teams are involved with this?”
“Is there anything you wish someone could take off your plate?”
And don’t do this alone. Think about who in your firm could ride shotgun. Someone who offers a complementary service line. Someone who needs a warm intro. Someone with the missing piece to your customer’s puzzle. Or, even simpler, someone you like and think your customer would like too. People buy people after all.
Bring them along to the next meeting. It strengthens the relationship (internally and externally), shows you’ve got range, and increases the chance of another brief landing on your desk.
Double act > solo flyer.
#3. Listen actively – the real problems are between the lines
Most customers won’t say, “I’ve got a new instruction for you.” They’ll say things like this instead – and if you’re tuned in, you’ll hear the opportunity loud and clear.
🧠 Strategic change / business pressure
- “We’re going through a bit of a restructure.”
- “There’s talk of a new five-year plan.”
- “We’ve had a change in leadership.”
- “We’ve been asked to do more with less.”
- “There’s a lot of pressure on margins right now.”
- “We’re trying to be more commercially minded as a team.”
🌍 Market context / external influence
- “The regulator’s been asking more questions recently.”
- “We’ve been looking at what our competitors are doing.”
- “The market’s really volatile at the moment – no one knows what’s coming.”
- “There’s a lot of noise around AI / ESG / new rules – hard to know what matters.”
🔄 Internal inefficiencies / process triggers
- “It’s a bit of a mess internally, if I’m honest.”
- “We’re doing this manually at the moment – it’s not ideal.”
- “We’ve inherited a lot of legacy systems that don’t talk to each other.”
- “It feels like we’re reinventing the wheel every time.”
💬 People dynamics / workload pressure
- “The team’s absolutely slammed.”
- “We’ve had a couple of resignations – tricky time right now.”
- “There’s not really anyone with the headspace to drive it forwards.”
- “We’re all firefighting – haven’t had time to think strategically.”
🔎 Curiosity / signals of need
- “Do you know what other firms are doing about this?”
- “Is this something you’ve seen elsewhere?”
These aren’t just passing comments, they’re neon signs flashing OPPORTUNITY HERE. Your job is to tune in, explore gently, and help solve the thing they haven’t even formally asked for yet.
The professionals who spot and follow these threads don’t “sell” – they serve. And they win.
Final thought
Don’t ignore your golden goose while chasing shiny new eggs. The relationships and trust you’ve already built, the projects you’ve already delivered to demonstrate your reliability, are the lowest-hanging fruit you’ll ever find.
Next week, we talk about new blood. But this week, go feed the goose.
