Sales is not a dirty word
December 5, 2011 by Barbara · 4 Comments
‘Sales’ is not usually the first word chosen by professionals to describe how they acquire new clients. They prefer ‘marketing’ or ‘business development.’
For example, a professional colleague said to me recently, “Everyone else is out there marketing so hard, it is essential to be out there too.” Her firm recently hired a new associate who has energized their team because he “feels responsible to actually market,” as my friend put it.
This anecdote speaks to one of the dilemmas of operating a professional services business: to do what you are good at and love to do, you need work; work comes from clients; clients come from a regular, ongoing system of practices called marketing, sales, and business development, often interchangeably.
Dear reader, are you thinking, “Duh!” to yourself? I know it is obvious, but many professionals resist doing the sales and marketing needed to have thriving businesses. Read more
How horses teach us about communication & leadership
I’m standing in the arena with three horses and a lunge whip in my hand. My job is to move them around the perimeter as a group, then change their direction to move in the other direction. Lunge whips aren’t actually used to whip the horses. As an extension of my arm, it helped me communicate with three 1,000 pound horses.
I was comfortable doing this with one horse, but keeping three animals moving together was quite different. Each animal was different; one was a donkey half the size of the other two, Each moved at a different pace; their relationships with each other influenced how close they wanted to be to each other.
How do I let them know what I want? What would give them enough motivation to do it? How do I keep them moving together? Read more
How Seth Godin inspired this post
September 15, 2011 by Barbara · Leave a Comment
This summer I had the opportunity to see Seth Godin in person. I loved him. Not only is he one very smart guy, his values and integrity shone through everything he said. Hear him talk about his most recent book, Poke the Box, an 85-page call to action. I highly recommend it.
Seth Godin’s recent post “Talents and Vendors” struck a chord with me that resonates with my clients as well. Even before the recession, some of my professional service clients felt pressure to sell their services as a commodity, for the lowest price. This is heartbreaking for someone who has devoted their career to practicing high value services such as engineering or architecture. Read more
Do-it-yourself marketing audit
February 3, 2011 by Barbara · 8 Comments
Ongoing marketing is essential for a viable business, especially during a slow economy. With increased competition it is more important than ever to be clear about who you are targeting, what they care about, and how your business can meet their needs. Your clear messages tell your potential clients about you, and help them decide whether they want to work with you. For more about target audiences, try this blog post.
Ideally, we have an ongoing marketing program that brings a steady flow of clients and projects maintain our momentum. But what if we don’t? Read more
The power of asking questions
January 19, 2011 by Barbara · 8 Comments
January is a favorite time to release forecasts about the coming year. In a changing economy, some of us might look to forecasts to provide supporting evidence for our hopes or fears.
This season of forecasts inspired me to create my own. It’s great to know what is going on nationally, but I would like to know more about what my AEC industry colleagues around Seattle see coming this year. Read more
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As a 25-year veteran of marketing professional services, Barbara Breckenfeld is a strategist and a storyteller. She helps helps businesses grow as a consultant, marketing coach, and seminar leader.
