28 episodes
How Clients Buy Profitable Ideas Exchange
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- Business
If you are a consultant or professional services provider, you are the "product." Your success depends on developing new business. You're expert in doing the work, but you probably don't have much training in how to develop business from new and existing clients. The conversations in this series provide real, practical advice to help you bring in more business.
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Using the Seven Elements as a Diagnostic Tool
The Seven Elements framework presented in "How Clients Buy" represents a list of ingredients essential for business development success. As such, they can be used to conduct a self-assessment of relative strengths and weaknesses at the firm, practice,
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Learning from Rainmakers
When researching "How Clients Buy," Doug Fletcher and Tom McMakin interviewed dozens of successful rainmakers. Their subjects ranged from solo practitioners to managing partners of global consulting firms. Doug and Tom’s goal was to field test their b
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First is Best
By all means, create content. Share the good stuff. Use inbound marketing and marketing automation—mindfully—to build awareness and understanding of your firm and its capabilities. Just don’t neglect the importance of relationships and trust.
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Trust is Everything
When it comes to professional services, Tom McMakin believes trust is everything. That's because information asymmetries are inherent in professional services. The service provider diagnoses the disease and provides the cure,
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Sales or Marketing?
Which is more important to professional service providers: marketing or selling skills? The answer is both, contrary to common assumptions about the value of division of labor. Solutions providers conduct research and product development (marketing functions) in the same instant they present and pitch (selling functions). The need for versatility makes professional services challenging and rewarding. Above all—according to Don Scales, the CEO of Investis—we must think.
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Forget About Being Likable
Doug Fletcher is one of the most likable people you'll meet. His easy-going manner puts one at ease. So, it's a bit jarring to hear Doug advise, "Forget about being likable." Instead, Doug encourages us to do great work and take really good care of our.