Consulting Fundamentals

So your client wants to sleep with you- a consultant’s dilemma

March 25, 2012
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…is that a bad thing?  Well, getting all professional and uppity, I guess that yes, it probably is a bad thing and although we do suggest some strange practices on “pitchingforbusiness.com” you probably shouldn’t try and win work via your undoubted excellent bedroom talents.  Too complicated. However, extending the analogy, developing your clients as “bolleveninde” [...]

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What’s the point of every proposal we write? The money honey!

February 14, 2012
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I was working with clients from a major UK insurance company last week. They are intelligent technical experts working as high end internal consultants looking to deliver real, tangible results through, process, technology and operational improvement. We were looking at the kinds of pitches that they do when asking for funds to deliver these amazing projects. [...]

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5- step proposal process- now add a prologue to grab their attention

February 13, 2012
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In the last post we talked about the simple 5 step structure we follow to write engaging, persuasive proposals for our clients.  For the important concept stuff look here too.  In this piece we’ll talk about ‘gilding the lily’.  Adding a high impact start and end to the piece that will grab the attention of [...]

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5-step business proposals- steps 1-5

February 13, 2012
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In an earlier post we talked about the importance of client focused, value driven written proposals- Well here’s our method- Remember that you’re having a conversation with the client in writing.  And the story structure you’ll follow is like this- Step 1- “We understand your requirements inside out” The first thing you absolutely must show [...]

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Successful Business proposals- 5 steps to business

February 13, 2012
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In an earlier post, Phil talks about ‘Value Propositions’ and ‘VP osmosis’ as a must for people leading sales teams in the consulting world. The effective written proposal is the first test of a consultant’s understanding of value from the clients’ perspective. A successful business proposal, like a successful story of any kind, begins with [...]

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Bringing in hired help….

November 23, 2009
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So, you are looking to develop your business development capabilities. You can take your smart, knowledgeable professionals and inject them with some commercial acumen; provide them with a “business development process”, dangle a carrot or two and watch them go…. The main focus of this book / blog is to help you navigate your way [...]

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What do world class organisations do?

October 17, 2009
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When you cut through all the bull, and there’s plenty of it, as the new business responsible fool in your firm, it’d be nice to have a benchmark of what makes the difference between the sharpest operators in the field, and the ‘bottom-feeders’ wouldn’t it? Here’s a really simple chcklist for you to use to [...]

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Selling professional services is different…

October 11, 2009
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Yes it is, it really is…. Selling professional services is different to selling ‘stuff’. You are selling an intangible, a relationship, trust. I’ve seen the greatest salesman in the world reduced to blubbering wrecks as they try to close a consulting sale whereas some of the most introverted analysts within my organisation make great salesmen; [...]

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Don’t look at the tree- Focus and surviving the storm

October 9, 2009
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It’s a time of year- moving into winter, and an economic season- bloody cold- that can combine to make anyone with a new business responsibility feel like staying in bed. When even the weather is against you feeling sunny, it takes a few simple truths to get you out there doing what you’ve got to [...]

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Why Pitching into the Wind?

October 7, 2009
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We’ve just been told it’s the end of the ‘nice’ decade and the business of business is about to get tougher, much tougher. Selling has been easy with such strong growth but we’re moving into a buyers market , a strong headwind for all of us with responsibilities–are you ready to “pitch into the wind”? [...]

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