Words
Are you in the top 4%?
Less than 4% That’s how few consultants introduce themselves well. Mostly the others tell you what their job is. And for me those introductions aren’t at all engaging. Business Process Analyst, Principal consultant, HR Systems Architect, Delivery Manager, Technical Architect, Supply Chain Consultant, Service Design Consultant. Whatever! So,
☀️ How to run brilliant first meetings
This is for situations where you decide to invest in building a highly productive, strategic relationship.You want to lead the client through a value creation conversation and position your expertise. Two different meeting structures 1. You contact a current, or previous, client with something you wanted to talk to
7-day sales experiment
Instructions Sales theory is all well and good. But this is more fun and productive ... 1/ Identify a high-value, high payoff client development activity. eg. You want a better sales meetings, so experiment with: + Building rapport and trust. + Talking while sketching out a 2x2 framework. + Asking provocative questions (with precision)
Hunting NEW business for your consultancy?
Hunting NEW business for your consultancy? You could do a whole load of desk analysis. Or just cut to the chase ... For rapid results here's my #1 strategy: Deliberately connect with named executives ... in organisations that have a similar profile to ... the most productive of your key accounts.
Don't make the mistake of letting clients see you as a contractor?
Some people mistake contracting for consulting, but they’re different. Contractors complete tasks under the clients direction. They’re pseudo-employees. Consultants provide solutions to specific issues. These solutions comprise three types of project, based on providing … insights, plans, or resources. By way of an example, let’s look at the
Top performers set unreasonable expectations.
Top performers set unreasonable expectations. For themselves. And others. That’s a good thing because ... I've seen unreasonable expectations lead to: - Visionary goals that became reality. - Higher standards and levels of performance. - Working on what's possible, not what's predictable. - Expensive,
How to introduce case studies into a conversation.
How to introduce case studies into a conversation ... in just a minute ... without boring the pants off your prospect. 1/ Request permission to share your story. 2/ Explain the reason your previous client needed help. 3/ Add the result they achieved because of it. 4/ And the impact of that
Negative news sells media space but is it good for your health?
The UK recession is official. You already knew that without Jeremy Hunt saying it. This is my fifth while working and eighth all told. They’ve all been hard. So, this week I’m sharing the biggest career mistake I made during a recession. Deserting my great job for more
How to build influential relationships with movers and shakers.
Every organisation has movers and shakers. These are the people with goals and a game plan for achieving them. They're the executives to meet and build influential relationships with. That's not always easy. But, to win projects and influence outcomes it's vitally important. And
Questioning, listening, influencing.
Flour, water, and salt. They’re the only ingredients you need to make tasty Sourdough bread. Supermarket bread has five times the number of ingredients. It tastes like cardboard. Questioning, listening, influencing. They’re the three key capabilities for great consulting. And they’re also the recipe for tasty client