Relationship Management

Ten Listening Pitfalls

By Andrew Sobel There’s a story about a woman, in 19th century England, who had dinner with two great prime ministers and political rivals, Gladstone and Disraeli. Gladstone was the more educated and intellectual of the two; Disraeli more street-smart and intuitive. When asked to compare the two, she said: “After my dinner with Mr. […]

Do You Offer a Truly Unique Client Experience?

How would you rate the overall client experience that you offer? Is it: 1. Below average (or perhaps very uneven)? 2. Competitive? 3. Truly differentiated versus your competition? Would you like your clients to say, “Working with you really is different”? How valuable would that be, from a retention and referral perspective? In the consumer world, […]

Relationship Evaluation

Best Practices for Building C-Suite Relationships

Is the Trusted Advisor Still Trusted?

“The market has changed dramatically,” a senior partner at a major law firm recently told me. “I’m beginning to wonder if clients even want a trusted advisor anymore. Much of the time it just comes down to price. It’s discouraging.” Another client of mine, a senior executive in a large global consulting firm, echoed this sentiment: “Selling cycles are much longer that they used to be. Procurement is usually involved, and they can be brutal at squeezing down the price. Sometimes, after you invest a great deal to educate the prospective client, they just decide to do it themselves.” Since 2008, many business professionals are feeling pummeled by intense price competition and ever-harsher client demands. They are asking:  Is becoming a client’s “trusted advisor” an antiquated aspiration in a world where clients seem mainly concerned with getting the lowest price? Is it still relevant when procurement routinely comes between you and your executive clients? Do relationships, in short, really matter anymore?

Managing Your Three Relationship Time Horizons

Winning new revenue in the short term while building relationships for the future Have you felt this way? “I know I’ve got to make these investments in building long-term relationships, but I keep getting consumed fighting fires on a day-to-day basis” “We’re under pressure to get revenue now, this quarter—it’s hard to balance that with […]

11 Relationship-Building Pitfalls That You Must Avoid

11 Pitfalls to Avoid in Client Relationships Experience is the best teacher, and that’s why the tuition is often high. Here are 11 common pitfalls that professionals fall into when advising clients. I’m personally quite familiar with these mistakes because I’ve made most of them at one time or another in my career! At best, […]

9 Strategies to Stay in Touch When There’s No Business

It’s a simple but powerful exercise: Write down the names of the 20 or 25 most important individuals you need to develop and grow a relationship with. Draw the names from a variety of categories. Include clients, prospects, influencers, colleagues, and others that you need to help you succeed. When I ask executive groups to […]