Business Development for Accountants - is there Anybody Out There?
Monday, July 14th, 2008When I was compiling Rainmaker Resources I scoured the net for articles, blogs, podcasts and videos of value to business developers in professional services. Most of these resources are, of course, produced by consultants and advisors who aim to help professionals in these areas. I informally categorised the firms and individuals I found, with the intriguing [...]
Social Media and Professional Services Business Development
Monday, July 14th, 2008An excellent post by Matt Brazil caught my eye recently. It’s provocatively entitled Are Social Networks the Last Nail in the Coffin for Cold Calling?
Now, of course, the increased prevalance of social media (and Matt includes blogs, articles, podcasts, etc. in that group) aren’t going to completely kill off cold calling. But Matt’s point - based [...]
Rainmaker Resources | Links & Resources for Professional Services Partners, Business Developers and Marketers
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008I spend quite a bit of time scouring the net for high quality resources and information on business development and marketing for professional services. While they have a lot in common with product sales - particularly large, complex sales; there are also a number of unique factors which need to be taken into consideration when marketing [...]
Becoming a Trusted Advisor
Saturday, July 5th, 2008It’s the holy grail of Professional Services - to become a trusted advisor to your senior clients. To be viewed - and sought out - as a source of valued advice and support.
The benefits from a business development perspective are clear: the professional who is the first port of call for a client with a [...]
3 Quick and Simple Steps to Improve Sales in Professional Services Firms
Wednesday, June 18th, 20083 quick and simple steps that professional service firms (lawyers, accountants and consultants) can take to hugely improve their sales:
Cut the marketing and advertising budget in half
Take the money you’ve saved from this and use it to reduce the billable hours targets of your partners and get them to focus on business development activities instead
Ensure [...]
Do I really need a USP?
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008It’s accepted wisdom in marketing and sales nowadays that every business needs a strong Unique Selling Point (USP). “Differentiate or Die” has become the clarion call of consultants across the globe, urging their clients to (pay them to) develop clever positioning statements showing how unique and different they are to their competitors.
But does it work? [...]
