The Better Thing
People tend to pride themselves on fast response, and that's a good thing. But what about "anticipatory response," when you suggest something the other party didn't even realize was needed. It's called "marketing." That's an even better thing.
Who’s on First?
I recently talked to someone who used his virtual assistant to coordinate with a speakers bureau secretary who reported to her boss, and then the boss spoke to a meeting planner at a client, who went to her boss for
The Wrong Road Too Often Travelled
You don't fail with a proposal when you submit it and the buyer rejects it. You fail when you and the buyer have not achieved conceptual agreement on outcomes, metrics, value, and ROI prior to creating the proposal.
Okay, Let’s Begin: Your Basic Premise Is Wrong….
We're here to be respected in business, not loved. We need to challenge, push back, and confront buyers. They are surrounded by people who are obsequious and sycophantic. Why would they need to hire someone from the outside who simply
Would You Be Willing to Introduce Me to….
If you can't ask for referrals from your past and current buyers, or from influential people you know, because you "don't want to intrude" or feel that you're bothering them, then you don't appreciate your own value. Entire industries—real estate,
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Here’s How to Stop Undercharging and Over-Delivering
Here's why we tend to undercharge and over-deliver: Low self-esteem (I’m not worth it) Allow the client to determine your intervention “Undocumented promises” to subordinates while delivering “Failure work” from the client you decide to “fix” for the client Insufficient
A Poor Start
If you don't have a non-cancellation clause in your proposals/contracts, and aren't paid in advance, and your key contact is in HR, you stand a huge risk of having your work cancelled without recourse at the slightest economic panic by
Why Nonprofits Fail
While it's true that nonprofits often fail for lack of funding, there are reasons that they don't achieve funding or that they use it incorrectly and/or inappropriately. Here's my experience from eight boards, including chairing two of them: • The boards
“I’ve Never Looked at the Issue in that Manner”
Stop suggesting solutions to client issues when you first meet with the buyer. Instead, provide questions which prompt the buyer to consider the issue in different ways, e.g., as an opportunity and not a threat.