Coaching for Leaders

736: How High Performers Land New Business, with Matt Dixon


Listen Later

Matt Dixon: The Activator Advantage

Matt Dixon is Founding Partner of DCM Insights, a global training and advisory firm, and a leading expert in business development and client experience. His first book The Challenger Sale was a #1 Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestseller, and translated in a dozen languages. His newest book with colleagues Rory Channer, Karen Freeman, and Ted McKenna is The Activator Advantage: What Today’s Rainmakers Do Differently*.

At lot of us know the traits of the kind of person who’s successful at attracting new business. What many of us don’t know, is that what’s working today is actually different than what we traditionally think. In this conversation, Matt and I a take a detailed look at the professionals who are landing the most new business – and what they’re doing that works.

Key Points
  • The loyalty that once existed between professionals and their clients has changed substantially in recent years.
  • A type of professional called an activator represents the highest performance in business development.
  • Activators assume their best clients will leave at some point and are consistently working to build a pipeline of opportunities.
  • Many professionals tend to protect client relationships. In contrast, activators actively bring colleagues into these relationships.
  • Activators don’t wait for inquiries. They make opportunities happen by building relationships before paid work begins.
  • Activators go way past birthdays and factual knowledge about others. They discover what’s important to their clients as individuals.
  • Activators go way past “as is” content and work hard to thoughtfully connect it to a prospect or client’s situation.
  • Resources Mentioned
    • The Activator Advantage: What Today’s Rainmakers Do Differently* by Matt Dixon, Rory Channer, Karen Freeman, and Ted McKenna
    • Interview Notes

      Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

      Related Episodes
      • The Surprising Truth About Influencing Others, with Daniel Pink (episode 84)
      • How to Become the Person You Want to Be, with James Clear (episode 376)
      • The Way to Earn Attention, with Raja Rajamannar (episode 521)
      • Expert Partner

        Finding it hard to make an impression in a noisy marketplace? Many listeners have reached out to David Hutchens to help their organizations get traction through the power of story. If you’re planning an offsite or training to get better, get in touch with us to start the conversation with David or any of our other expert partners.

        Discover More

        Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store

        Coaching for LeadersBy Dave Stachowiak

        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8

        4.8

        1,391 ratings


        More shows like Coaching for Leaders

        View all
        The Look & Sound of Leadership by Essential Communications - Tom Henschel

        The Look & Sound of Leadership

        1,163 Listeners

        Teaching in Higher Ed by Bonni Stachowiak

        Teaching in Higher Ed

        368 Listeners

        HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

        HBR IdeaCast

        167 Listeners

        How to Be Awesome at Your Job by How to be Awesome at Your Job

        How to Be Awesome at Your Job

        1,032 Listeners

        7 Minute Leadership by Paul Falavolito

        7 Minute Leadership

        93 Listeners

        Worklife with Adam Grant by TED

        Worklife with Adam Grant

        9,166 Listeners

        Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style by Laura Camacho

        Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

        97 Listeners

        Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast by John Maxwell

        Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast

        379 Listeners

        The Modern Manager by Mamie Kanfer Stewart

        The Modern Manager

        187 Listeners

        Inside the Strategy Room by McKinsey & Company

        Inside the Strategy Room

        168 Listeners

        No Bullsh!t Leadership by Martin G Moore

        No Bullsh!t Leadership

        123 Listeners

        The Anxious Achiever by Morra Aarons-Mele

        The Anxious Achiever

        572 Listeners

        A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek

        A Bit of Optimism

        2,198 Listeners

        Coaching Real Leaders by Harvard Business Review / Muriel Wilkins

        Coaching Real Leaders

        676 Listeners

        HBR On Strategy by Harvard Business Review

        HBR On Strategy

        81 Listeners

        HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

        HBR On Leadership

        168 Listeners