Category Archives: Sales
Pounding the Rock: Why Sustainable Growth Is Built on Process, Not the Market
A stonecutter strikes a rock a hundred times without a visible crack, then on the next strike the rock splits. It wasn’t the final blow that did the work—it was the hundred that came before it. The San Antonio Spurs are one of the most successful franchises in professional sport. Their sustained success wasn’t built…
Renewal Is Not Your Service Model
For many financial services firms, the annual renewal has quietly become the centrepiece of the client relationship. It’s familiar. It’s expected. And for many firms, it’s where the majority of client interaction takes place. The problem is that renewal was never designed to be a growth strategy. Renewal is an administrative event. Clients don’t…
The Top Seven Marketing & Selling Questions
Every day, my inbox fills with questions about selling and business development. People want to know how to grow organically, strengthen their revenue base, and boost performance—without sacrificing the quality of service their clients expect. Chances are, you’ve had the same questions. And you’ve probably spent time on blogs, forums, or social media trying to…
4 Questions Every Prospect (and Client) Is Asking
Did you know that when you meet a prospective client—or anyone who doesn’t already know you, your firm, or your business—there are four questions usually top of mind? Who are you? What do you do? What value do you bring? Who do you work with best? Let’s break those down: 1. Who are you?…
The Million-Dollar Myth That’s Destroying Professional Practices and Careers
Picture this: You’re a lawyer, insurance broker, or financial advisor spending only 20% of your week actually selling your services. The rest of your time – 80% – goes to administrative tasks, client work, and everything except business development. This is quite common in my experience. Now here’s the kicker—while professionals like you struggle…
Mid-Year Reset: The 4 Metrics That Tell Your Story
Whether you’re hitting the halfway mark of your fiscal year or kicking off a new planning cycle, now is the perfect time to step back and assess where your business really stands. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind—especially when you’re juggling high-volume periods and major deals. But here’s what separates top…
What Professionals Can Learn About Marketing From Politicians
Running a successfully congressional campaign cost on average $2 million for every two-year term. Interestingly, members of congress aren’t born salespeople, nor do they consider themselves professional salespeople. However, they’ve had to learn how to market and raise funds to keep their job. To stay in office, the average member of Congress needs to raise…
Effective Prospecting: How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline
Are you struggling to keep your sales pipeline full of qualified prospects? Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, mastering the art of prospecting is crucial for sustained business growth and success. I invite you to join me for an exclusive, free webinar on June 16, from 10am to 11am AEST. In this…
It’s Time to Stop Selling and Start Focusing on Making Rain
‘Rainmaking’ is a metaphor for bringing in new business and making more money. It’s the highest form of business development. Selling intangibles is hard work. It’s built on reputation, relationships and trust. It’s quite different from selling a car, which is based on features, benefits and price. Most professionals are technically well-trained to be accountants,…
7 Mistakes Many Professionals Make
Why do so many financial services businesses struggle to produce superior growth results? Here are 7 observations I have made: 1. Many professionals don’t have an industry-targeted niche focus Marketing is expensive and ego bruising. The key to predictable, significant growth is to be ‘somebody special’ to a particular group of businesses. 2. Many…
