Articles
Explore over 350 articles that will help you grow your client relationships and improve your personal effectiveness.
Want More Share of Wallet? Grow Your Share of Mind
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 wallet share often consists of introducing some colleagues who then pitch their solutions, without establishing […]
Read articleThe Piercing Roar of a Hungry Black Bear
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 screen door that leads into the back garden of our house. He (or she) […]
Read articleHow to Heal Broken Relationships (Part 1)
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 complaining about me behind my back. Once I focused on healing this relationship, I realized […]
Read articleSeven Ingredients that Make You Truly Authoritative in Your Clients’ Eyes
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 even “the leading authority.” But don’t take a simplistic view of the route to getting […]
Read articleHow to Accelerate Your Sales Cycle
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 would move more quickly. Right now, as many companies are rocked by a simultaneous health […]
Read articleWhat to Do When Clients Are Unresponsive
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 about never? Is never good for you?” Today, that cartoon hits especially close to home. […]
Read article9 Techniques for Developing New Ideas for Your Clients
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 100-Day Plan to Build Lifelong Relationships and Revenue, from “Week 11–Be a Brilliant Big Picture Thinker”). […]
Read articleWhat are the best questions to help start a new relationship or conversation?
By Andrew Sobel After a recent live interview that I did with my friend and bestselling author Dorie Clark, a listener wrote in and asked this question: As an introvert I would love to know from Andrew what are the top three opening questions that he recommends to start a relationship/conversation? It would be poor […]
Read article