TRANSCRIPT David C. Baker: Blair, I’ve got this question, you got me started thinking about it. I’m just going to dive in here. This question is about the best indicator of new business success, not kind of a question. It cannot help but really make people curious. What’s the answer? Then I have a bunch
Blair gets David to admit that he was kind of wrong about open book management being just a fad when he originally wrote about it almost two decades ago, and David offers ways that it can actually improve relationships with both employees and clients when used appropriately.
Blair and David analyze and then look beyond the requests for reassurance potential clients make during the late stage of a sale to address their underlying motivations.
David disagrees with Blair’s model for growing existing accounts in the post-AOR era and then offers his list of 6 ideas on the topic.
Blair remembers what it was like when he was an account person himself, and David shares five ways firms can treat their account people better.
Blair offers seven mindsets that any seller of expertise needs to master so that they can behave like the expert in the sales cycle.
David and Blair take turns asking each other questions about what they each would do differently if they were going to start a new firm today based on what they know now.
Blair gives David some homework to identify patterns in the principals of creative practices who are successful and have that “je ne sais quoi.”
Blair interviews David on what each of the three levels of success in running a creative firm looks like.
David re-reads the 2nd chapter of Blair’s first book, leading to a discussion about how sales people have to choose between either presenting to clients or being present to them.
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