As consultants, project work is usually fun (at least if you have the right clients), but business development can seem like a slog, or even, as I thought of it, a “necessary evil”. But if you’re not having fun with … Read More
psychology
The Introvert’s Edge to Networking
If there was something I hated more than “selling”, it was probably “networking”. Now, Matthew Pollard, author of The Introvert’s Edge: How the Quiet and Shy Can Outsell Anyone, is back with a new book, The Introvert’s Edge to Networking. … Read More
Just because you’re solo, you don’t have to sell alone
One of the hardest things about being a solo consultant is selling solo. People joke about sales reps being “coin operated”, but it’s more accurate to say that are motivated by competition (in addition to compensation). If you’re a solo … Read More
Consulting Positioning: 4 techniques to nail your niche
Positioning your consulting practice is perhaps the most critical sales and marketing decision you can make, but it’s also hard, so a lot of consultants don’t really do a great job with it. This leads them to struggle unnecessarily. Why … Read More
Small Business Weekly Planning Calendar
As a small business owner, it’s hard to juggle everything, but having a weekly planning calendar helps. It’s easy to feel busy without making progress on what’s most important. You can get to the end of the week and wonder … Read More
Our own beliefs are the biggest sales obstacle
Sales is hard for anyone, but especially when you start your own professional services business, your own beliefs are often the biggest obstacle to sales. I started with some strange, self-limited beliefs about sales. Over time, I realized that I … Read More
Shhh… here’s a secret
Every great company is built on a secret. At least that’s what Peter Thiel writes in his book Zero to One: Notes on Startups or How to Build the Future. So here’s the secret at the heart of what I do … Read More
Things I’ve Learned This Decade
Being angry or mean (to others of yourself) rarely makes things better. But anger and other emotions are telling us something– listen and then decide what to do. When other people are angry or mean to you, it often has … Read More
Real and imaginary barriers
Running a business is hard. There are so many barriers to success. Sales, financing, delivery, marketing, recruiting, just balancing everything, knowing what to focus on next, etc. Yet we often make it harder on ourselves by creating imaginary barriers in … Read More