by Nancy Fox - Rainmaker Trainer, Productizer
Trusted advisors, this article is NOT FOR YOU
unless...
You've found yourself saying at some point:
"I'm too busy with clients to network or spend time marketing right now"
"I'll focus on business development when this project wraps up"
"My pipeline was full six months ago – where did my referrals go?"
Almost every professional I've worked with has, at one time or another, felt the painful bite of a revenue slump.
Out of nowhere, a flourishing practice can run dry:
Referrals are MIA,
client engagements are ending,
discovery calls are not being booked.
The problem is, as a dedicated advisor, you have rightly been so focused on working with your clients, you've made little or no time to network or continue your marketing efforts.
If none of these sound familiar, you can stop reading now. You've mastered something most never do.
But if you've ever experienced the whiplash of going from "booked solid" to "desperately searching for your next client," then keep reading. Because we need to talk about the revenue seesaw – and how to finally get off it.
The Dilemma Every Trusted Advisor Faces
Picture this: You've been networking consistently, sending marketing emails, nurturing relationships, and building trust in your market. Then it happens – multiple clients sign on simultaneously. You're thrilled. Revenue is flowing, and you're fully engaged in delivering results.
But here's the trap: You get so consumed with servicing these clients that you stop doing the very activities that brought them to you in the first place. Networking events get skipped. Follow-up calls are postponed. That LinkedIn content you were consistently posting? It dries up.
Fast forward six months. Projects are wrapping up, and your pipeline looks like a barren wasteland. You're back to square one, cash-flow poor and scrambling to rebuild what you let slip away.
One of my legal life science clients came to me when he had consistently run his business strictly through word of mouth referrals for years. Suddenly, nada.
A human resources consultant had the exact same experience after 15 years! The collapse had her stunned and completely unprepared for how to revive her business.
A valuations firm built its entire structure on referrals and word of mouth.
During the last downturn, referrals dried up - and the firm went belly-up!
This is the case of the Revenue Seesaw - and it's a very serious and dangerous dilemma.
It's an exhausting cycle that plagues countless trusted advisors, consultants, and service professionals.
Why This Happens (And Why It's Not Your Fault - Sort Of)
The revenue seesaw isn't a character flaw – it's a structural problem built into how most advisors operate:
Time Scarcity: When you're being paid for when you are working with clients, every hour spent networking feels like money left on the table.
Energy Depletion: After delivering high-value work all day, the last thing you want to do is attend a networking event or craft thoughtful LinkedIn posts.
Success Breeds Complacency: When revenue is flowing, the urgency to maintain relationships diminishes. "I'll pick this up when things slow down," becomes the dangerous refrain.
The Relationship Paradox: The better you get at your craft, the more your existing clients want from you – leaving even less time for relationship building.
The Hidden Cost of the Seesaw
Beyond the obvious cash-flow challenges, the revenue seesaw creates deeper problems:
Relationship Decay: The connections you worked so hard to build grow cold during your "busy" periods
Market Positioning Erosion: Your absence from industry conversations makes you less top-of-mind
Increased Stress: The constant cycle of feast-or-famine creates chronic anxiety about business stability
Price Pressure: When you're desperate for work, you're more likely to accept lower rates
Breaking the Cycle: The Relationship ROI Approach
The solution isn't to work more hours – it's to work more strategically. Here's how to maintain your relationship investments even during busy periods:
1. Systematize Your Networking
Create a simple system that doesn't require heroic effort:
Block 30 minutes weekly for relationship maintenance
Use a CRM to track your key contacts and set follow-up reminders
Batch similar activities (all LinkedIn messages on Monday, all calls on Thursday)
2. Make Your Clients Your Advocates
Your best networking isn't happening at events – it's happening in your current client relationships:
Ask for introductions to complementary service providers
Request to be included in their industry gatherings
Turn project updates into relationship-building opportunities
3. Create Evergreen Content
Develop content that works for you while you're focused on delivery:
Write a series of LinkedIn posts during slower periods and schedule them
Create a newsletter that shares insights from your current work (with permission)
Develop case studies that demonstrate your value while building credibility
4. Implement the "Maintenance Minimum"
Define the absolute minimum relationship activities you'll maintain during busy periods:
One meaningful conversation per week
One piece of content per month
One industry event per quarter
5. Daily Consistent Activity
It doesn't take a huge amount of effort to keep your pipeline flowing during client-busy times.
Fifteen marketing and networking minutes per day will astound you with how much opportunity you can generate in such a short time IF you send out a couple of emails, make a couple of calls to past clients and colleagues, write a quick post to your target audience even during your busiest client-focused eras.
The Compound Effect of Consistency
When you break the revenue seesaw, something magical happens. Your relationships compound. That introduction from Client A leads to a referral from their network. The LinkedIn post you shared during a busy period resurfaces in someone's mind when they have a need.
Most importantly, you build a reputation as someone who's both excellent at delivery and consistently present in your professional community. This positioning makes you the obvious choice when opportunities arise.
Your Next Steps
Audit Your Current Cycle: Look at your revenue patterns over the past two years. Do you see the seesaw?
Calculate Your Relationship ROI: Track how much revenue comes from your network versus cold outreach. You might be surprised by the difference.
Design Your Maintenance System: Create a realistic plan for staying connected during busy periods. Start small – consistency beats intensity.
Invest in Relationships Before You Need Them: The best time to build relationships is when you don't need them. The trust you build today pays dividends tomorrow.
We've developed a proprietary business development tracker that reveals exactly how much activity and productivity (revenue-wise) you are generating each week.
It's incredibly revealing and motivating.
The Bottom Line
The revenue seesaw isn't inevitable – it's a choice. By systematically investing in relationships and maintaining your professional presence, you can create a more predictable, sustainable practice.
Remember: Your network isn't just about finding new clients. It's about creating a professional ecosystem that supports your long-term success, provides ongoing learning opportunities, and makes your work more fulfilling.
The goal isn't to eliminate the seesaw entirely – some variability is natural in service businesses. The goal is to reduce the amplitude of the swings and create a more stable foundation for growth.
Want to learn how our WYZE Rainmakers Client Intelligence System™️ is the antidote to the revenue seesaw?
