One of my clients, a global consulting firm, wanted to build a relationship with a Fortune-50 company in the Midwest. This company never used consultants, and my client had virtually no preexisting relationships with their management. However, my client was…
Why do some client relationships slowly diminish and die, while others thrive for years? A key secret to keeping clients for life has to do with treating old clients like brand-new clients. You can learn how to do this in…
The playwright Oscar Wilde defined a gentleman as someone who “is never unintentionally rude.” Likewise, you never want to have a client relationship end unintentionally and without a sound reason. Unfortunately, relationships often avoidably come to an end. Clients usually just vote…
Everyone would like more of their client’s business—more “wallet share.” But few are willing to invest the time and effort to do what it actually takes to earn that additional share of their client’s expenditures. The strategy to gain more…
During this COVID-19 crisis, we can all use some lighthearted news/entertainment. This may fit the bill for you. At six o’clock this morning I walked out of my bedroom and saw a large black bear on the other side of…
The Causes of Relational Conflicts Early in my career, I had an important relationship with a colleague at my old firm, but it began to slowly deteriorate. Eventually, he stopped communicating with me and grew bitter—I know because he began…
Do Your Clients See You as an Authority? One of the greatest accolades you can receive from a client is the declaration that you are an authority in your field. Even better still is to hear you are a “leading authority” or…
How long is your sales cycle? How many months does it take to go from first meeting to a paid engagement? Your answer probably will be, “It depends!” But whatever your answer, you no doubt wish that your sales process…
One of my favorite New Yorker cartoons was drawn in 1993 by Robert Mankoff. It shows an executive at his desk, fielding a telephone call from someone who wants to meet him. “No, Thursday’s out” he replies to the caller, adding, “How…
By Andrew Sobel Clients say they want new ideas from their advisors and suppliers. But how do you come up with those new ideas? Read on. (Note: this blog is excerpted from my new book, It Starts with Clients: Your…
