Sales may be tough to come by lately not because your services aren’t wanted, but because budgets are being slashed left and right. Andrew Sobel, author of Clients for Life: How Great Professionals Develop Breakthrough Relationships, listed 18 ways to combat this problem as part of an article on Rain Today. The following are a few of the highlights, while the rest can be found here.

Restructure the work to achieve cost savings. In this case you recommend changes in how the client approaches your particular program or project so that it can be executed for less money.

Add more value to the overall package. “It’s too expensive” usually means “We don’t perceive sufficient value.” More value could include advice and counseling around your core program or service, personal coaching, knowledge transfer, training, and follow-up assessments.

Provide ongoing advice to keep the discussion going. If a client has no budget to get a project started, you may-depending on the circumstances-be willing to meet on a regular basis to talk about the issue and give some free consultation. Doing so will keep the interest up so that when money becomes available, you’re the preferred advisor. Invest to stay on the radar screen.