🎯 Match your message to their mindset — not every client needs saving.

🔍 You don’t need Sales Navigator to find real SAP opportunities.

💬 Great DMs feel like help, not a pitch in disguise.

🧠 AI is a thinking partner — not a shortcut or threat.

📅 ECC clients aren’t behind — they’re your best bet for future work.

Are you a seasoned SAP consultant feeling the ground shifting beneath your feet? Maybe you’ve spent years honing your craft within corporate projects or as a reliable freelancer-for-hire. Lately, though, you sense an identity shift looming. You’re caught between being “the SAP expert everyone calls” and the itch to become something more – maybe an entrepreneur, or at least the driver of your own career for once. If that strikes a chord, this article is for you. It’s written by someone in the same boat (hi, I’m Isard), and it won’t sugarcoat the journey of repositioning oneself in a rapidly changing SAP world.

What’s on the menu today? We’re diving into how to tailor your approach to a prospect’s mindset (because a complacent client and a panicked client need very different messages). We’ll look at how you can sleuth out promising contacts without ponying up for LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator. We’ll shine a light on a group of clients everyone else seems to ignore: SAP ECC holdouts who still haven’t moved to S/4HANA (and why that could be your golden ticket). Throughout it all, you’ll see how I’ve been using an AI sidekick – my mentor/alter ego “Wiz” – as a thinking partner to navigate these questions. By the end, you’ll have a blueprint (and maybe the nerve) to rethink your own positioning before that big ECC deadline inevitably sneaks up.

Why does this matter now? Because the SAP landscape is undergoing a once-in-a-generation shift. The clock is ticking for ECC customers; mainstream support’s end is around the corner, and everyone is talking about S/4HANA transformations. For independent consultants like us, this isn’t just tech news – it’s a career crossroads. Do we scramble to chase the latest trend and risk blending in with every other S/4 consultant out there? Or do we leverage our unique experience and choose a quieter, less crowded path that’s nonetheless vital? Today, I’m choosing to explore the latter. And I want to show you why that “quiet path” – helping the right clients at the right moment – might just put you ahead of the pack, not behind it.

Alright, enough preamble. Let’s switch to the format I’ve been using in this little blog series: a candid back-and-forth dialogue. It’s me (Isard) talking with Wiz, my dry-humored AI mentor. Think of it as eavesdropping on my thought process in real time. Ready? Let’s dive in.

The Conversation Begins – Matching Strategy to Mindset

Isard: (sitting at his desk, scrolling through LinkedIn messages) I fired off a few different DMs last week, Wiz. Some friendly, some more direct – testing the waters like we discussed. But the responses… well, let’s just say the waters are still pretty cold. I’m scratching my head here. Did I do something wrong, or are these folks just not in the mood?

Wiz: (materializing as a little hologram on Isard’s phone, arms crossed with a knowing smirk) Let me guess. The ones you sent polite, generic “hi thanks for connecting, let me know if I can help” messages maybe got polite nods back, right? And the bold “I see your SAP problem, I can fix it, wanna chat?” ones… those either got quick interest or total silence.

Isard: (raises an eyebrow) Pretty much sums it up. It’s like I tried both ends of the spectrum – Graham’s ultra-polite approach and Wayne’s bold pitch, to use those personas we talked about. Graham-style felt safe and got me polite small talk at best. Wayne-style felt risky; they probably found it too aggressive and ghosted me. Crickets.

Wiz: That tracks. Remember what we figured out about matching your outreach to the client’s mindset? It’s crucial. Different minds, different messages. Think of your prospects as falling into a few buckets: complacent, in crisis, or in control.

Isard: Mindset buckets… you mean like those “complacent, crisis, clarity, control” phases you waxed poetic about the other day?

Wiz: Exactly. Let’s simplify:

• Some prospects are complacent – everything seems fine in their world, no obvious pain.
• Others are in crisis – their hair’s on fire with an SAP project gone wrong or an urgent need.
• And a few are in control – they just emerged from a crisis or solved a big problem; things are stable (for now).

Now, if you send Graham’s gentle “Hi, I’m here if you need me 😊” to a crisis client, it’s too mild – they don’t have time to notice you unless you address their burning issue. And if you send Wayne’s “I can solve your problem, let’s talk now” to a complacent client, well… they don’t have a perceived problem, so you come off as a pushy riddle with no context. They’ll ignore you or think “Who is this bloke trying to sell me something I don’t need?”

Isard: So it’s not that one style is universally better; it’s about fit. I need to read the room – or read the person, in this case.

Wiz: Bingo. Match the message to the moment. Consider our friend Graham’s polite DM: it’s low pressure, harmless. That might be okay for a prospect who’s cruising along with no big worries – they won’t be annoyed, but they also won’t be motivated. There’s no urgency. Those complacent folks will either politely say “thanks” and shelf it, or ignore you with equal politeness. No harm done, but no deal made either.

Isard: Right. It’s like offering an umbrella on a sunny day. They’ll smile and say, “No, thanks, I’m fine.”

Wiz: Exactly. Now take Wayne’s bold pitch. That can actually cut through the noise if the person already knows they have a problem – say their SAP system is crashing weekly or their project’s off the rails. In a crisis, a direct “I solve this, want help?” message can be a godsend. You’re the guy showing up with a firehose when their kitchen’s ablaze. They might respond, “Yes please, tell me more!” But if there’s no immediate fire, a message like that feels jarring. To a complacent prospect, Wayne’s style is a cold call during dinner – unwelcome. They’ll think you’re just out to make a sale and slam the (digital) door.

Isard: And then there’s the middle way – that “whisper funnel” approach we cooked up.

Wiz: Ah yes, the conversational slow-burn. The Whisper Funnel is neither just a polite howdy nor an in-your-face pitch. It starts with something relevant and low-key, meant to spark a dialog. Like, say, you see a prospect post on LinkedIn about a minor SAP headache. A whisper DM might be: “Hi __, saw your post about the migration challenge – ugh, been there. How are you handling it so far?” Soft, empathetic, and about them, not you.

Isard: I like that one. I actually tried a version of it on a contact who complained in a forum about user training in their new system. I said something like, “I feel your pain on end-user training…curious, have you tried XYZ?” He replied and we chatted a bit – no pitch, just exchanged war stories. Now we’re actually continuing a conversation. It’s not a lead yet, but it’s warmer than a cold pitch would’ve been.

Wiz: That is the beauty of the whisper approach. It works especially well for those who aren’t in full-on crisis but have signs of strain. Maybe things aren’t on fire, but there’s smoke – and you gently acknowledge it. You’re starting a peer-to-peer chat. Over time, if that smoke turns to flames, who will they remember? The helpful colleague who was there early, not the stranger parachuting in with a sales banner.

Isard: So, big takeaway: know their mindset first. If they’re complacent (no visible pain), neither ultra-polite nor super-bold DMs will easily crack them – they just aren’t ready. If they’re in crisis, a direct offer to help on their specific problem could cut through, whereas generic pleasantries won’t. And if they’re somewhere between – aware of a challenge but not freaking out – a gentle conversation starter builds trust until they are ready for help.

Wiz: Well said. Think of it like this: selling SAP consulting is a bit like selling lifeboats. When the ship’s not leaking (complacent), no one is lining up for lifeboats. When it just hit an iceberg (crisis), the people with lifeboats to offer are the heroes of the hour. And if you catch them as the ship sprung a small leak (early signs of trouble), you don’t run in yelling “buy my lifeboat!” – you casually chat about how nice it is to have peace of mind just in case 😉.

Isard: (laughs) I love your metaphors, man. Alright, so I need to focus my energy where it counts: be present when there’s a leak or a storm, and not waste breath preaching about lifeboats to sailors sunbathing on deck.

Wiz: Yes! Save your breath for the right ears. That brings us to the next challenge: how do you find those “right” prospects in the first place? Especially without fancy tools.

Isard: Good question. I’ve been doing all this messaging, but maybe I’m talking to the wrong people at the wrong time. How do I sniff out the ones who have a storm brewing or underway? LinkedIn’s basic search only gets you so far if you don’t pay for Sales Navigator. And I’m far too frugal – excuse me, principled – to shell out for yet another subscription.

Wiz: (chuckles) Frugal, principled – either way, I know you’re not keen on new expenses. The good news is you can absolutely find prospects without Sales Nav. We’ve done a bit of this before, remember? Time to unleash your inner Sherlock Holmes.

Isard: (grinning) Elementary, my dear Wiz. But seriously, enlighten me – what’s our next move? I’m grabbing my notepad…

Finding Warm Prospects (Without Paying for Sales Navigator)

Wiz: First off, use LinkedIn’s free search more cleverly. It’s not as lame as people think. For example, in the search bar try something like “IT Director SAP London” and filter by People. You can mix titles and keywords. If you know the kind of person who would hire you (say, CIOs, SAP project managers, etc.), search those titles plus relevant terms (like SAP, ERP, S/4HANA, whatever fits) and maybe a location or industry. You’ll get a list of folks who likely match. Sure, LinkedIn might hide some names as “LinkedIn Member” if you’re not connected, but there’s a workaround.

Isard: Ah, I recall this trick – the Google X-ray search. You had me do this last time.

Wiz: Right! Instead of relying on LinkedIn’s interface, let Google do the heavy lifting. Use a search like:

site:linkedin.com/in “IT Director SAP” “London”

This basically asks Google to list LinkedIn profiles with those terms. Often you can see names and companies in the Google results even if LinkedIn keeps them semi-anonymous on their site. Once you have a full name from Google, you can go back to LinkedIn and find or directly connect with them. It’s like having a free mini-Navigator.

Isard: Sneaky in the best way. I’ve tried it, and it works. Got a few names of IT heads at companies in my niche that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. What about finding people who are actually active on LinkedIn, not just profiles?

Wiz: Good point. An up-to-date profile is nice, but an active user is more likely to respond. One way: search for posts instead of people. For example, go on LinkedIn and search something like “SAP S/4HANA migration challenge” and then filter results by Posts. You’ll see content where folks talk about these issues. Maybe someone wrote “Our SAP migration is giving us headaches” or asked a question about ECC vs S/4. Those posts are gold.

Isard: Because they reveal two things: the person is active and they have a relevant challenge on their mind.

Wiz: Exactly. If Jane Doe is posting “Struggling with our ECC to S/4 upgrade timeline,” that’s a giant waving flag. You could engage right there – drop a thoughtful comment, answer her question, commiserate, whatever without selling. She’ll notice you as a helpful voice. Then, when you send a connection request or DM later, you’re not a stranger. You’re “that SAP guy who said something smart about my post.”

Isard: I actually did that once last week. Someone was debating whether to postpone their S/4 project; I commented with a short anecdote about another client who delayed and how it played out. We had a brief back-and-forth in the comments. Next day I sent a connect request referencing that conversation – accepted in 5 minutes. It felt natural.

Wiz: Beautiful. That’s social media karma: give value, get connection. You can also look at industry forums, SAP community discussions, or even attend (virtually) some SAP user group meetups. People often mention their pain points in those settings. If you hear “We’re still on ECC and worried about S4,” your ears should perk right up. Jot their name down, follow up later.

Isard: So basically: go where the conversations are happening – LinkedIn posts, Q&As, virtual events – and listen for pain or change signals. Then engage like a human, not a salesperson. It’s detective work, but kind of fun once you get the hang of it.

Wiz: You’ve got it. It’s more work than blitzing out 1000 cold InMails, sure, but it’s targeted and genuine. Quality over quantity. And you didn’t spend a penny on fancy tools, just time and attention.

Isard: Honestly, I prefer it this way. I hate feeling like a spammer. This feels like I’m building my network and helping people in the process, even if they never hire me. At least I’m part of the conversation.

Wiz: Exactly. And by being in those conversations, you’ll start to notice patterns – like what challenges keep coming up, which leads us nicely to our next big topic. Speaking of challenges that keep coming up… have you noticed a trend with all these SAP folks we’re finding?

Isard: (leans back, thinking) A trend… Well, obviously S/4HANA is all over the place. Lots of talk about migrations, upgrades, and the infamous deadline SAP set for ending ECC support. I’ve seen posts ranging from “We’re finally taking the S/4 plunge” to “Do we really need to move to S4?” to outright “We’re sticking with ECC as long as possible, darn it.”

Wiz: Aha, yes. That last sentiment – sticking with ECC – that’s interesting, isn’t it? There’s a whole segment of SAP customers who’ve been dragging their feet on migrating. They’re like the folks at a party who won’t leave even after the music’s off and the hosts are yawning.

Isard: True. And honestly, I get it. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” right? ECC has been reliable for them. Why gamble on a huge transformation if they’re not feeling pain now?

Wiz: Exactly. They’re complacent for the moment – maybe even willfully ignoring the storm clouds on the horizon. But guess what? That horizon is getting closer. The 2030 date is a hard stop for SAP support on ECC. Some might even face earlier deadlines if they’re on older versions (remember the 2025 cutoff for certain ECC versions). A lot of companies are either unaware or in denial about how urgent this could become.

Isard: I recall a stat – something like well over half of SAP’s customers haven’t moved to S/4HANA yet. That’s a massive number. It means there are thousands of companies still on ECC right now. That’s a huge, largely untapped pool of potential clients…

Wiz: …who will very soon need help. This is what I meant by noticing patterns in the conversation. Everywhere we look, there are these ECC holdouts. Right now they’re quiet, maybe a bit too quiet. But give it another year or two – as 2030 looms larger, panic will set in for some. They’ll realize they can’t kick the can down the road any longer. And when they do, they’ll urgently need guidance: Do we migrate? How? Do we go third-party support? What’s the risk if we delay? All juicy questions for which an experienced SAP consultant (hint hint, you) could be a godsend.

Isard: (eyes widening as the realization dawns) You’re painting a picture of a latent goldmine. A quiet one, but real. While everyone else in the consulting world is busy chasing flashy S/4HANA implementation projects with the early adopters, nobody’s courting these reluctant ECC customers – at least not in a helpful, trust-building way. They might actually be relieved to find someone who isn’t just pressuring them to “upgrade or else,” but is willing to help them navigate their options.

Wiz: Precisely. This could be your niche. Think about it: you have decades of experience, which likely includes plenty of work on ECC systems. You speak the language of the old SAP guard as well as the new. You understand the technical and the business side of sticking with a stable system versus going to a new one. Why not brand yourself as the guide for these under-served folks?

Isard: I like where this is going. It aligns with what we talked about in our “crisis to clarity” chat. Instead of trying to convince complacent clients to see the light early (which is like shouting into the wind), I can position myself to be right there when their situation flips – when ECC complacency turns into “Oh no, we’re out of time, what do we do?” crisis.

Wiz: And because you’ve anticipated it, you won’t be just another vendor capitalizing on fear. You’ll have a plan, a message, and a reputation ready to go. Possibly even relationships built in advance. If you start engaging now – gently – with content and conversations, by the time the urgency strikes, those clients will think of you as the helpful expert who was talking about ECC challenges before everyone else was.

Isard: It’s a bit like being the first one to set up a lemonade stand at the finish line of a marathon that most runners don’t even know they’re in. When they hit mile 25 and realize how thirsty they are, there I am with the drinks, while all the other stands are crowded around mile 5 selling energy gels for an earlier part of the race.

Wiz: (laughs) You and your metaphors now – I’m rubbing off on you. But you nailed it. It’s a quieter path because you won’t get all the immediate glory and hype the S/4HANA crowd is chasing. But it’s a path where, when the rush comes, you’ll be ahead of the crowd, waiting at the finish line (or maybe the triage tent).

Isard: So, how do I shift gears and reposition myself to step into this ECC guide role? I mean practically – what should I do next to plant my flag there?

Wiz: Let’s get tactical.

Tactical Steps – Repositioning as the ECC Transition Guide

Wiz: Alright, we’ve got the strategy: focus on ECC clients and match our message to their mindset (complacent now, crisis soon). Now it’s execution time. Here are some next steps to reposition yourself:

1. Refresh Your Positioning (Online Profiles & Elevator Pitch): Update your LinkedIn headline and bio to reflect this new focus. For example, instead of “SAP consultant available for projects” (yawn), try something like “Helping SAP ECC clients navigate the S4 transition – from planning to painless migration”. Make it immediately clear you understand their unique situation. When an ECC holdout lands on your profile, they should feel “This person gets me.”
2. Share Insightful Content on ECC Challenges: Start putting out content that speaks to these clients’ concerns. Maybe a blog post or LinkedIn article titled “The Deadline Is Closer Than You Think – A Survival Guide for ECC Businesses.” Or short posts like, “Tip of the week: If you’re still on SAP ECC, here’s one way to future-proof while you plan your move…”. The idea is to provide value now, before you ever talk one-on-one. When they read your content, it should resonate and gently remind them that the clock is ticking – and that you have ideas to help. (No scare tactics needed; aim for informative but urging.)
3. Find Your ECC Tribe: Go where ECC customers hang out. Are there SAP user groups or forums for companies that haven’t migrated? Maybe a “SAP ECC Survivors” online community (if not, you could even start one!). Attend webinars or conferences about S/4HANA – ironically, the people attending “how to migrate” sessions might include those who are nervous and still on ECC. Connect with attendees or commenters who ask questions like “What if we don’t migrate by 2030?”. Those are your people. Engage with them, offer to chat more, be the helpful expert willing to talk it through without immediately selling anything.
4. Reach Out with Relevancy: When you do DM or email potential clients, frame it around their context. For an ECC-focused message, maybe something like: “Hi __, I noticed your company still runs SAP ECC. With the deadline coming, many folks I talk to are debating their next steps (migrate, delay, third-party support, etc.). I’ve been helping companies figure out what makes sense for them. If you’re curious to bounce around ideas or hear what others are doing, happy to chat. No sales pitch – just sharing insights.” This kind of message says: I see where you are, I know the decision you face, and I can help you think it through. It’s hard to ignore if that issue is on their horizon. It’s the opposite of a generic pitch – it’s specific and empathetic.
5. Use AI as Your Brainstorming Buddy: Don’t forget the secret sauce that got you here – your AI sidekick (yours truly, Wiz!). As you craft these messages and content, use AI to brainstorm variations, check tone, or even role-play responses. For example, you can ask an AI, “How might a risk-averse CIO react if I send the above message? What concerns might they have?” and then address those in your approach. It’s like having a focus group of one, available 24/7. This keeps you sharp and prepared. You’re essentially stress-testing your outreach and content before it ever goes live.

Isard: (scribbling notes furiously) This is solid. I especially love the idea of adjusting my LinkedIn profile – that’s my storefront, after all. It should signal exactly the problem I solve and who I solve it for. And yes, the content – I can repurpose a lot of my war stories and lessons from past projects into guidance for ECC folks. I’ve seen enough post-mortems of delayed SAP upgrades to fill a book (hmm, that book I’m writing could use a chapter on this, actually).

Also, reaching out in that low-key, context-aware way feels right. It’s not a pitch, it’s an invitation to talk shop about a mutual concern. If I got a message like that from someone, I wouldn’t bristle; I might actually take them up on it.

And of course, I’ll be leaning on you, Wiz. You’ve basically become my brainstorming partner. It’s almost unfair – I have an ever-patient, super-knowledgeable buddy to bounce ideas off anytime. Like my personal secret weapon that never sleeps.

Wiz: (buffs his holographic nails on his robe) Happy to be of service. In truth, you’ve had the answers – I just nudge them out and maybe add a few zingers. And I’ll gladly keep doing so. Use me to simulate tricky conversations, to refine your writing, or heck, to practice your Zoom pitch. That’s what AI is great for: infinite practice and feedback, no judgment. By the time you’re talking to a real prospect, you’ll have ironed out the kinks.

Isard: You know, this is feeling surprisingly energizing. Not long ago, I was dreading all this – marketing myself, finding clients in new ways, stepping out of my comfort zone. It felt like I was on the back foot, forced into doing stuff I’m not naturally into. But now… shifting my perspective to “I have something really useful to offer, especially to these under-served clients” – it’s changed my whole approach. I’m not just hustling for work; I’m on a bit of a mission here.

Wiz: (smiles broadly) And that, my friend, is the sweet spot. When marketing stops feeling like vanity or chore, and starts feeling like telling people a truth they need to hear, you’ve cracked it. You genuinely believe in the value you can bring, and that will come through loud and clear in all these conversations.

A Quiet but Confident Conclusion

Isard: (taking a deep breath, looking out the window as if seeing that horizon himself) You know what, Wiz? I am a veteran SAP guy. I’ve been around since the R/3 days, seen the rise and fall of trends, lived through upgrade cycles, firefighted through crises. For a while I worried that made me a dinosaur in this cloud-first, AI-driven, S/4HANA world. But I realise now it also gives me a unique vantage point. There’s a quiet path in this noisy tech landscape, and it turns out I’ve been walking it my whole career – I just didn’t appreciate it.

The quiet path isn’t about chasing the next shiny thing or shouting to be heard in a crowded market. It’s about seeing what others overlook. Right now, that’s the army of ECC customers feeling left behind by the hype cycle. They may be quiet now, but they need someone who speaks their language when the time for action comes. I can be that someone. In fact, I want to be that someone.

For the first time in a long while, I don’t feel like I’m lagging or missing out. Instead of scrambling to follow the pack onto the latest trend, I’m stepping into a role that’s a few paces ahead on a different road. It’s as if everyone else is jostling on the highway, and I’ve discovered a side road – less traveled, yes, but it leads to a place people will desperately need to reach soon. And I’ll already be there, waiting to guide them.

I’m not naïve; I know this path won’t be flashy. It might stay fairly quiet – until it suddenly isn’t. But that’s okay. I’m choosing it because it aligns with who I am and who I want to help. It’s oddly poetic: after 25 years of being the go-to “fixer” brought in at the last minute, I’m repositioning as the guide who shows up before things fall apart. And that makes me feel… relevant. Not as someone clinging to the past, but as someone carving out a new role for the future.

So here I stand – not left behind at all, but rather walking ahead on this quieter path, confident and curious about where it leads. If the rest of the SAP world eventually catches on, they’ll find me already there, hand outstretched, saying “Welcome, shall we navigate this together?”

(Isard smiles to himself, closing his notebook. In the soft glow of his screen, Wiz fades out with a wink. The journey continues, quietly and purposefully down the road less traveled.)