You know those suspects and prospects? The ones you're chasing. You've sent them several emails, left voicemails, sent a text ... yet nothing
Stretching sales performance targets
A previous brief explored how a rough-cut sales analysis is used to identify business development risks and opportunities. Now we'll look at
Business development snippets (for reflection)
Here are some snippets I offer clients. Slow down as you read the list and you’ll probably notice a gut reaction to each idea: Reach out to your
Seal the deal – a lesson in mental toughness
There’s a key distinction between professional sales people and order takers. The professionals aren’t afraid to push a little, in order to seal the
What’s happening when a deal stalls?
When one of my mentoring clients asks me about a deal that’s stalled I recommend they go ‘back to basics’ and ask themselves these 3 questions about
Are your prospects dawdling?
When a prospect dawdles it's because they don't have a sense of needing to take urgent and immediate action. They are perfectly happy with their
Mirror, mirror on the wall …
Do you take time to reflect on your performance? If you don't, now is a good time to start. Just slow down, back up, and take stock using this
The relationship frame and business development hokum
There’s a lot of business development hokum out there, especially when it comes to ideas on how best to win consultancy projects. It's so easy
Can this executive buy?
Some executives have the power to make decisions. Others evaluate and make recommendations for their boss to consider. These recommenders can say
That resistance you feel
Reaching out to new prospects. That resistance you feel. It’s something you can sort out. You’re far more likely to get up, get going, and take
10 decisions clients make before buying consultancy
Here's a list of different sales conversations you'll want to master, so you can guide client decision making: ‘Know, like, trust’ decision -
Painting by numbers isn’t art
Some trainers make it out to be so simple, like ‘painting by numbers’. Stay within the lines, use the right colours, and you’ll close the sale. They
4 signs a prospect relationship is going nowhere
Last week I wrote that senior level decision makers want and value long-term partnerships. They find transactional selling off-putting and time
Why objection handing doesn’t work. And what to do about it.
Objections arise when the client puts up some sort of barrier to whatever it is you're proposing. The most widely taught objection handling method is
Are you helping your client look good?
All clients want to look good. Nobody says it openly, but ultimately that's the driving ROI for lots of business decisions. According to David
The simple exercise that dramatically improves sales
Sometimes it's the simplest of activities that get the best results. This is one of those activities. Write down what you want. That’s it. Every
The devil in the detail
Some consultants have a talent for seeing the devil in the detail. They’re masters at analysis, finding patterns and describing trends. They make the
4 steps that dramatically increase results from meetings
This weeks article is short and sweet. I've been teaching this to consultants for years, now it's time to share it here. Here’s a four step
The biggest mistake groups make at strategy workshops
I facilitate two distinctly different types of offsite workshops. One focused on group dynamics and the processes people use for working together. One
What to do when a deal stalls.
This week a mentoring client has a deal that’s stalled. The prospect put them off until the new year. They’ve given two reasons for this. Firstly new
Hello persuasion … meet resistance
As a group facilitator there’s plenty of opportunity to watch people trying to persuade others. You quickly notice patterns and how well intentioned
Will these 9 unusual questions to help you qualify and close?
In my post about fact addiction I mentioned that to sell consultancy effectively you must go beyond facts and get clients to think, feel and act. I
Consultants: Are you working in a proposal factory?
It's easy to become a proposal factory when you sell consultancy. And Invitation to Tenders (ITT) and Requests for Proposals (RFP) take you down
Are you a fact addict?
To sell consultancy you must influence how clients think, feel and act. In his brilliant book, Change or Die, Alan Deutschman writes about
Five things you can do today to overcome buying inertia
Previously I wrote about buying decisions and what's going on in the client’s mind. Visionary thoughts - about results and value - create desire.
Beat the FUD factor and reposition to win the complex sale
In part 1 you saw how the FUD Factor (fear, uncertainly and doubt) and corporate politics threatened my sales success. In this part you’ll read about
What Big Blue taught me about fear, uncertainty and doubt
I needed a strategy to win against IBM. I wanted to get into one of their major accounts. So, after much deliberation, I chose something different -
How to make hard choices
Did you every think you might be making important decisions all wrong? Ruth Chang's 15 minute Ted talk introduces a fresh approach.