Replacing Presentations With Conversations
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.
Win Without Pitching®: Thinking
Meetings
The PowerPoint Problem
There are many patterns one sees after working with hundreds of creative and marketing firms on their approach to business development, and one of them is an over reliance on presentation software like PowerPoint. When I spot a strategy document written for a client or the firm itself that was composed in PowerPoint I know we have a problem and I can immediately identify the co-presenting symptoms.
Debriefing After a New Business Call
To get better at selling your expertise you’ll require a certain amount of self-assessment at the points of interaction with…
Meeting Madness
Picking up on the theme of my last article, Five Things to Master in the New Year, there’s another area that most of us would do well to work on at a time when we’re making promises to ourselves: new business meetings. And I don’t mean we should strive to get more of them.
I Wish I’d Said That!
Have you ever been close to securing a lucrative engagement only to be thrown off your game, and possibly out of contention, by an unforeseen late question from the client? While there’s no way to prepare for every objection that might arise there are a few common ones that seem to create that deer-in-the-headlights response.
The Meeting, Part 2
This is the second in a two-part series on The Meeting. If you missed part one in the October issue of the Win Without Pitching Newsletter, you’ll find it posted to our web site here. Part one explored why an unqualified focus on getting more meetings can be counterproductive to business development efforts, and it
The Meeting, Part 1
Getting More Meetings “If I get a meeting with someone I can almost always close them. I just need more meetings.” I hear this often. Years ago, between the end of my agency career and the launch of my consulting practice, I heard these words from an agency president who was hiring me to do
Selling to Committees
Some agencies have policies about not doing business with law firms. Some refuse to work with not-for-profits. Others steer clear of government and government agencies. The reason for all is usually the same: committees. Committees can be difficult to deal with in the buying cycle and even more difficult once the account is won. But
Can Sales Be Outsourced?
“I know we need to get out there and sell our firm’s services, but I don’t want to be the one to do it, and I can’t justify a full-time position. Can’t I outsource it?” If you’ve ever posed this question, this issue of the Win Without Pitching Newsletter is for you.
Decision Maker Dynamics
‘Thanks for coming in to make your presentation today. I’d like to introduce you to Carl, our VP of Special Projects. He’ll be sitting in.’ Through the gritted teeth of a forced smile you shoot your business development person a look that says, “Who the Hell is Carl?”. Carl, you are about to learn, is
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