Why do you write all this stuff?
“Why do you write all this stuff?” She asked. Fair question and a simple answer. I get clearer when I write my thoughts down. I’m not writing to persuade you. I’m writing to persuade myself. I’m writing to see things differently. Sometimes when the writing seems useful
Does consultative selling work with public sector clients?
Does consultative selling work with public sector clients? In my last post, I recommended Consultative Selling by Mack Hanan. Reading the book, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s all about commercial business. The language is all about profit improvement. Hanan puts that at the core of client conversations.
Challenge the rules
💢A weekly pause to reflect on your week, see things differently, and consider what you might do next. Last week in the UK we shifted back to Greenwich Mean Time. If you've not visited the Royal Observatory in Greenwich you're missing out. Not only on the
Want to become a trusted expert? Start with this book.
Want to become a trusted expert? Start with this book. Most sales books are written for people selling products. But you face a different challenge. You need to demonstrate your expertise by adding value, offering insight into your clients’ priority situations and earning their trust. Consultative Selling by Mack Hanan
I asked the question and the room fell silent.
I asked the question and the room fell silent. Not a good kind of silent. The ‘not going to play’ kind. And that reaction was my error entirely. The group were from a big corporate. Responsible for IT finance, or finance, or something like that. Honestly, I can’t remember.
We used to read newspapers.
We used to read newspapers. I looked around the hotel breakfast room this morning. There were no newspapers in sight. Just people looking at glass portals into a virtual life. Maybe they were reading the news online, but it looked like most were scrolling through social media. Or answering emails,
It starts with capture. Then exploration.
It starts with capture. Then exploration. You know those thoughts? You’re half asleep. They’re blown into your head like autumn leaves. Then soon they're forgotten, and much later just rot away. Yuck. That's because you don't capture them? They don't
Discovering and working with your genius.
💢A weekly pause to reflect on your week, see things differently, and consider what you might do next. It’s been an odd week. Living in rural Herefordshire has its challenges. This week, my wife made a two-hour round trip to have my car’s brake fluid changed, only
Turn technical expertise into commercial effectiveness.
You want to turn technical expertise into commercial effectiveness, right? I've been doing that for over 30 years. Here's what I've seen happen in the field. Experts: - great at solving client problems. - lack skill to identify unconsidered needs. - lack confidence engaging clients about these.
Late afternoon walk.
Late afternoon walk. The wind is getting up. Ahead of Storm Austen maybe. One farmer out muck spreading. Another is flaying hedges. They’re winter aware. What did you notice today?