How to Sell Your Public Health Consulting Services (Without Feeling Salesy)

Register for the Business of Public Health Summit!

[April 10, 2026, Atlanta, GA]

In this podcast conversation, Dr. Desiree “Dr. Des” Strickland and Dr. Brittny Wells(Doc Bee) explored a topic many public health professionals avoid but ultimately need to understand: how to sell consulting services without feeling “salesy.” The discussion reframed sales as an extension of public health practice—identifying problems and offering solutions—rather than persuasion or transactional pitching. Dr. Des and Doc Bee emphasized that most public health professionals are already solving complex problems through program design, evaluation, policy work, and community engagement. The missing piece is not capability, but the ability to clearly communicate that value to organizations that need those solutions.

The conversation also unpacked why sales feels uncomfortable for many in the field. Academic culture often discourages self-promotion, and many professionals fear appearing transactional in a mission-driven space. However, the speakers explained that consulting opportunities rarely come from aggressive pitching. Instead, clients typically find consultants through referrals, prior work, reputation, and visibility in the right professional spaces—such as networking events and industry mixers. They also discussed what builds trust with potential clients: clearly defined expertise, confidence in delivery, and professional presence. The episode closed by emphasizing that effective sales is rooted in listening and problem-solving, not convincing, and by connecting these lessons to the upcoming summit, where speakers and sessions will focus on helping public health professionals position themselves so opportunities naturally come their way—including through structured networking and the summit’s pitch competition.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Sales in public health is service, not persuasion. At its core, sales is about identifying a problem and presenting a clear solution—something public health professionals already do in their everyday work.
2. Discomfort with sales often comes from academic culture. Many professionals avoid promoting their expertise because public health training discourages self-promotion and frames sales as transactional.
3. Consulting opportunities usually come through relationships. Referrals, prior work, reputation, and being visible in the right spaces—such as professional mixers—are how most clients find consultants.
4. Trust comes from clarity and confidence. Clients are more likely to work with consultants who clearly articulate their expertise, demonstrate professionalism, and communicate how they will deliver results.
5. Focus on fit, not forcing the sale. Effective consulting conversations prioritize listening, understanding the client’s problem, and presenting a practical solution—or referring them to someone else if it’s not the right fit.

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