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For the past
20 years, we have worked with top professional firms
to build the entrepreneurial skills of their people. Over the years,
we have worked with some of the top business developers across consulting,
accounting, financial services, engineering, law,
architecture,
and other professions.
When you compare the business development attitudes and aptitudes
of the top producers with the average in your profession,
you get a clear picture of the marketing and selling mistakes the
average producer or novice makes.
How many professionals entered their profession to market and sell?
How do they get trained and mentored in business development?
The first step is to recognize what's working and not working in
terms of your business development actions. Here are The 10
Biggest Mistakes That Professionals Make In Marketing:
Mistake #1: They don't market when they are busy.
When we are loaded up with projects due, getting the work out
is at the top of our to-do list. Then the projects are over and
we don't know where our work is going to come from. You need to
market most, when you are the busiest. And you need to set
daily business development activity goals.
Mistake
#2: They don't have a "reputation building" plan.
You wouldn't take on a job and then not have a plan
for doing the work. Yet, if you ask many professionals how they
plan to expand their reputation and extend their network —
you often get vague and general answers. Instead, you need daily,
weekly, monthly and annual activity goals and personal action plans.
Mistake
#3: They don't treat their referral network as an asset.
If you do great work for your clients, you will be
swamped with referrals. Wrong! You need to ask your clients to help
you build your business and create opportunities for them to do
so. You also need to build close alliances with other service providers
and set goals to expand the quality and reach of your personal network.
Mistake
#4: They don't sell
clients on what they have already sold them.
Too often, busy professionals complete the project —
and then move on. Remember the marketing purpose of any work for
a client is to get the next piece of work and receive immediate
referrals. When the job is over — sell the benefits hard. Then you reap additional work and
referrals.
Mistake
#5: They don't market
themselves inside their own firm.
In many cases, your best ally in building your practice
is sitting in an office right across the hall. Market to your own
partners and associates so that you can leverage their client relationships
and personal contact networks.
Mistake
#6: They only market
to clients when they are working with them...or when they are trying
to sell them something.
Most clients aren't naive. If you become a stranger
to them after the last service you delivered and then you contact
them out of the blue, they know that you are trying to hawk work
or sell to them. Market your relationship with them all the time,
but don't always try to sell them.
Mistake
#7: They assume potential
clients will value their expertise.
The hurdles for being recognized as a valued expert,
service professional, or advisor are higher than ever. Just because
you are smart, experienced and call yourself an expert —
you're not automatically an expert in the eyes of the customer.
You need to prove that you know their specific business and you
have a track record they respect. They care about a quick infusion
of hands-on "been there, done that in your business" expertise.
Mistake
#8: They expect the
client or prospect to do too much of the work.
One firm's idea of marketing is to publish a quarterly
book of their latest thinking —
almost like a college textbook. Who has the time to read something
like that? Realize that you have the equivalent of a subject line
on an e-mail these days to grab someone's attention.
Mistake
#9: They focus on the
wrong end of the pipeline.
It is easy to feel comfortable when you have a number
of active proposals. But it seems that you never get as many as
you think you will or the decision process takes longer than you
expect. Force yourself to monitor the active leads you create every
day instead — and the proposals will take
care of themselves.
Mistake
#10: They don't
market to people who rejected their proposals.
Don't you just hate it when somebody selects a competitor?
But think of all the work you invested in getting to know that client
and their business. What if the service they bought didn't go well?
What if the competitor didn't build a great relationship? Keep these
prospects in your marketing sights and see if you can win them back.
WARNING:
These and Other Marketing Mistakes Cost Big Money!
Marketing tools are simply equipment — like a golf club is to a golfer.
Getting the best clubs money can buy will not make you shoot par.
Lowering your score or becoming a pro depends primarily on your
skill as a golfer.
And these skills come from dedicated, continual application of what
works. And remember: most marketing that you're familiar with
is NOT appropriate for professional services.
In fact, many professionals make expensive mistakes by trying
out marketing approaches that work for computers, copying machines
and soap. This kind of product-oriented marketing is a waste
of time.
So what's the answer? Simply: If you want to get better results,
you must find ways to become more like the best business generators.
Adopt their proven approaches to building your practice.
Skillfully emulate their behavior and consistently practice
their tactics on a daily basis.
What can you expect if you follow this advice? You'll find that
getting better at business development is fully under your personal
control (and can even be enjoyable as you put into action only
those strategies that have been proven successful). That's right.
All professional services marketing success boils down to you as
an individual. But don't take our word for it: See how the best
business generators operate. The top producers know
that what prospects and clients buy is you — your expertise, ability to communicate
and capability to solve their problems. Realize that you are the
product —
and you are also your own product manager and salesforce. Take
control now of your personal marketing strategy.
The Bottom Line:
Each Professional Must “Market.”
The days of listing your services in a phone book and hoping
for the best are long gone.
Marketing must become the personal responsibility
of each professional — you cannot rely on your organization to do all the work needed
for you to prosper. Success is predicated on building relationships,
making contacts, doing business development each day and systematically
employing the proven methods of the top producers.
But competition is everywhere...and in today's world of firms consolidating...
continuing over-supply of experienced and young, hungry professionals
elbowing in on your turf... marketing your services is more essential
than ever.
The course presented in this book, Best Practices in Personal
Marketing for Professionals, offers you a practical and proven
step-by-step approach to effectively marketing yourself.
Written in an easy-to-read style, it provides a wealth of tips,
tools, techniques and how-to guidance you need
to be more successful right away.
Benefits include:
How
to eliminate the mystery, wasted time, and effort
of trying to figure the ways to most successfully market your services
How
to be mentored by the top producers in the profession.
How
to systematically apply the same best practices on a daily, weekly
and monthly basis
Every
possible aspect of marketing yourself — and your firm — discussed in a systematic approach that you can begin using
immediately
The
ONLY Best Practices guide to professional marketing. The
program is based on our work with over 500 professional
firms since 1980, with specific examples and case studies
to turn theory into practice.
Knowing
exactly what you have to do to grow your practice on a daily, weekly
and monthly basis
How
to leverage your existing strengths as a professional and
apply them to business development for results
Finding
ways to unleash your current contacts into a fertile referral
source
Which
proven methods turn your clients
into your sales force
How
to avoid wasting time on ineffective marketing methods that bear
no fruit
Taking
control of your business development success
Mentoring
by the best business generators so you can emulate their
mindset and business building behavior...and start to produce
the same results consistently
Generating
a steady stream of highly qualified prospective clients
How
to become a celebrated "expert" in your field
Creating
the word-of-mouth advertising that makes money
Gaining
the essential Attitudes For Business Development Success
Building
your aptitude for the critical areas: Focusing on Best
Opportunities, Marketing to Existing Clients, Obtaining Quality
Referrals, Building Powerful Alliances, Developing an Effective Network
Becoming
A Celebrated Expert through speaking and writing articles

Note:
Pages are cropped to allow for printing on legal size paper
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"Extra should be 100-150K per year...
"Hi
Allan! Just writing to let you know that GR was awarded
the job I wrote to you about a few weeks ago. Total fees
should be about 600K per year. Extra should be
100-150K per year... Thanks for your help.
- Russ Gordon, Goldenberg & Rosenthal
"We
have made 5 placements with this company for a total of
$85,000 in revenues...
"I specifically have applied your techniques
in looking for new business opportunities on a daily basis.
Taking your advice, we have been able to secure a new
client this year from a contact with my next-door neighbor.
This client is one of the more respected and well-known
companies in the Orlando Market. In the last 6 months,
we have made 5 placements with this company for a total
of $85,000 in revenues. As well, my staff has made
great strides in attaining 'key' accounts. Thanks so much
for providing many unique ways of capturing new business,
and also for your very enthusiastic approach of delivering
your concepts."
- Robert Mitchem, Operations
And Training Manager, Corporate Search Consultants
"We
are extremely pleased with the results of the training.
We have developed a number of action points focusing on
business development and client service, derived from
the points you raised on the subjects. The reviews speak
for themselves. It would be a pleasure for me to assist
you in identifying opportunities for your organization
within Deloitte. I am also happy to be used as a reference
should you have any potential opportunities (inside and
outside Deloitte) in the pipe-line."
- T.J., Deloitte |
Lessons from the
Best Business Generators
Do you have a clear daily, weekly and monthly game plan
to grow your practice?
Do you have precise growth goals in terms of
revenue by client and type of work?
Do you know how much work you need to sell and proposals you
need to generate in order to reach your sales objectives?
The top producers among professional service providers
can answer all of these questions on a daily basis.
To enhance your business development results, all you have
to do is learn from those who excel. Emulate the best
business generators — for they have developed proven techniques, success strategies
and productive business building habits.
The bottom line is that business development is simply a skill
— one that can be built. Realize that, as a professional, you've
already got all of the personal assets you need to
create more business effectively.
With this book, you'll learn how to systematically apply
the same best practices on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
The book guides you through this approach in two sections:
1) Building a Winning Personal Marketing System
2) Best Practices In All The Critical Aspects Of Marketing
Preview
the table of contents:
Section 1
Section 2
"This
is definitely one of the best things we have done for our firm…
Our results have been phenomenal! Everyone immediately began
putting these methods to work. The energy level in our firm
has been incredible. Most importantly, everyone is empowered
and confident in selling our firm. This is definitely one of
the best things we have done for our firm….We more than paid
for Allan's fee with the results we attained the first week
following the training."
- James L. Williams, Dixon Odom
"We have been growing 25%-30% per year...
"The "raw meat" of Allan's program is a culture-changing business
development message. And the message stays with you. His philosophy
underpins the phenomenal growth of the Kansas City office of
Fleishman-Hillard. It has allowed us to continue growing in
a market where many might have thought we had reached our potential.
We have been growing 25%-30% per year. Nearly $1 of every $2
invested in PR in Kansas City is with Fleishman-Hillard. Our
work with Allan undeniably has had an enduring impact on our
ability to develop the business relationships necessary to grow
our business."
- Ron Arp, Senior Vice President |
ORDER NOW!
Special Offer - Was
$149
Make a Difference Right NOW!...Only $ 109 (plus s&h)
[Click
the button to pay by Credit Card or thru PayPal
with our agent Intertexts, Inc.]
Note: If you're in another country or do not have a credit
card and you want to order by bank draft, write the words "Best
Practices" on a piece of paper and mail it to the address below.
Please include your email address, so I can contact you after your
payment arrives. I will need to know where to send Best Practices in Personal Marketing
for Professionals.
Make your bank draft out to:
SAGE PDI, Inc.
37w222 Rt 64 # 173
St. Charles, IL 60175
1-630-572-4798
Questions? Don't hesitate to contact us: mcummings@sageprofessional.com
Thanks!
Allan, Michael, and Barry
(SAGE PDI Marketing Team)
"Allan
Boress is one of the most knowledgeable individuals in the world
on the subject of practice development I have ever met...
"His no-nonsense delivery and step-by-step formulas are easy
and logical to follow and would be of benefit to everyone."
- Gary Condie |
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