Articles
Explore over 350 articles that will help you grow your client relationships and improve your personal effectiveness.
Finish this Year Well and Start Strong in January
Fall can be an achingly beautiful season, but it can also be a pressure cooker if you serve clients. In this last quarter of the calendar year, you need to finish well, regardless of when you close your fiscal year. At the same time, you need to prepare the foundations for a successful start of the […]
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Your Week 14 Challenge: Become a Person of Interest to the C-Suite
This is your final challenge in the 100-Day Client Growth program. Congratulations on finishing! This week, you’ll work on becoming a person of interest to senior executives. To complete this week’s challenge, be sure to read or listen to Week 14: Become an Irresistible Person of Interest in It Starts with Clients (pages 217-228 in the hardcover version). What Is […]
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Week 7 Challenge: Use Agenda Setting Strategies + a Bonus Video
In Week 7 of this challenge, you’ll use agenda setting strategies to make an upcoming client meeting richer and more effective. Be sure to read Week 7 of It Starts with Clients, “Anticipate and Agenda Set.” How well do you really understand your client’s agenda? I define a client’s agenda as their three to five most […]
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Week 4 Challenge: Hold a Great First Conversation
In Week 4 of this challenge, you’re going to improve your effectiveness at holding first meetings–for right now, let’s call them “first conversations” since you will most likely be meeting by phone or on a video conference. Be sure to read Week 4 of It Starts with Clients, as it provides an in-depth overview of the […]
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Finding New Opportunities in a Shrinking Market (It Starts with Clients–Part 3)
In most areas of the economy, fundamental demand has shrunk. Some markets have actually grown (videoconferencing and eLearning, anyone?), and a few large ones have evaporated (retail, travel). Are you doomed to sink to the level of the average decline (or worse), or can you find or create new opportunities to help your clients and […]
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Week 3 Challenge: Gain Access and Set up Meetings
In Week 3 of this challenge, you’re going to begin a systematic outreach to your clients and prospects. What do I mean by outreach (singular)? An “outreach” is when you communicate with an executive to learn more about their agenda, build trust in you/your firm’s ability to help them with their most urgent problems and […]
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Week 2 Challenge: Get Recognized
Which comes first–recognition for being really good at something, or relationships that lead to your being recognized? In 1969, a 19-year old James Taylor landed in London. His original band had collapsed, he was broke, and he was trying to break a fearsome drug addiction that had gripped him. He played his guitar for friends and even busked […]
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Week 1 Challenge: Review Your Client Base and Accelerate Your Outreach
One of the secrets to building clients for life is starting with the right clients. I lived in Italy with my family for four years, and I learned–similarly–that one of the secrets to Italian food is that the Italians always start with super-fresh ingredients. In contrast, It’s hard to make a delicious salad with rock-hard […]
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Day 1 Challenge: Adopt the Advisor Mindset and Serve More Client Needs
Welcome to the 100-Day Client Growth Challenge. I’m excited that you’re joining many other participants around the globe for this powerful, 100-day journey. It will help you strengthen your most important relationships and grow your client base. We are in the midst of a very turbulent time. Remember, however–business development may slow or stop, but […]
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