In this first of a series of interviews, Andi Baldwin of Profitable Ideas Exchange asked "How Clients Buy" co-authors Tom McMakin and Doug Fletcher to explain the premise of the book and why they were compelled to write it.

The post Why We Wrote “How Clients Buy” appeared first on How Clients Buy.

Authenticity is critical to successfully engaging potential clients, but you can't game it. You are who you are. That means authenticity comes at a cost. Nate Bennett explains why the benefits of authenticity far outweigh the costs.

The post Keeping It Real: Why Clients Value Authenticity appeared first on How Clients Buy.

Advertising professional services can help, but it's a relatively poor investment. With the help of Walt Shill, Global Managing Partner for Client Services at ERM, Tom McMakin explains how it's better to develop strategies and processes that can deliver real impact for your clients.

The post Can a Billboard Improve Your Sales? appeared first on How Clients Buy.

It's better to demonstrate expertise than to claim it. Paul Quigley explains how organizing and moderating well-crafted panel discussions can help you sell from "the front of the room."

The post Underwriting the Conversation appeared first on How Clients Buy.

I sat down with Cavin Segil and asked him to narrate a typical introductory call with a potential client. He says they always include a handful of key components. Call them the ABCs of an introductory call: a) learn who they are, b) whare what you do with an example, and c) schedule a follow-up call.

The post Making Friends: The ABCs of an Introductory Call appeared first on How Clients Buy.

At the end of the introductory call, most prospects will ask for a “short piece” describing what you do and what you’ve done for others. Carlie Auger describes the four elements of a strong deck.

The post Following Up – How to Write a Compelling Deck appeared first on How Clients Buy.

If you could ask a question of one of your peers, what would it be? We naturally seek assistance from those who are fellow travelers. Andi Baldwin seeks to find out what you would ask one of your peers in order to help you.

The post Seeking Assistance from Fellow Travelers appeared first on How Clients Buy.

Clients aren’t sold services. They buy them based on their evaluation of seven criteria: Awareness, Understanding, Interest, Belief, Trust, Ability, and Readiness. All seven elements must be present before a client can buy.

The post The Seven Elements of Business Development appeared first on How Clients Buy.

Too often, we start the sales process from our point of view. Instead, start from your desired customer’s perspective.

The post The Customer Journey appeared first on How Clients Buy.

Ann Kieffaber recently retired from the healthcare practice at Accenture as a Managing Director. Before that, she worked for IBM. In both roles, she was charged with helping the largest healthcare organizations transform how they collect, understand and use data. Whenever she started an engagement, she asked herself one powerful question: How do I create outrageous success for my clients?

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