As many of you know, Tom McMakin and I are writing a book that will be published by John Wiley & Sons in 2018.  The working title of the book is Getting Started in Business Development: How to Build Relationships and Sell Professional Services, Consulting and Expertise.  The title of the book will change; in fact, we’re meeting later today with our publisher to begin brainstorming titles and cover designs.

As Tom and I work on the book over the course of the summer, I will use this space to share with you where we are in the process and to outline the book topics that we’re working on.  I hope to use this outlet to create a conversation about these topics.  I hope you will share your thoughts, ideas, and stories with me to help shape our thinking on the best practices of business development in the world of expert services (management consulting, law, accounting, engineering, architecture, etc.).

Here’s the current outline of our book as it currently exists.

Book Outline

Introduction: If I’m Supposed To Know Everything, Then How Come I Don’t Know How To Sell

Part 1: The Obstacles

  • We’re Trained to Do The Work, Not Sell the Work
  • Selling A Services is Different (and much harder) than Selling Things
  • Nobody Wants to be a Salesperson
  • It’s Harder Than Ever To Sell Professional Services
  • Everything You’ve Been Taught About Sales is Wrong

Part 2: The Solution

  • Stop Selling: Look At The World From Your Client’s Point of View
  • Element 1: Building Awareness
  • Element 2: Developing Understanding
  • Element 3: Creating Interest
  • Element 4: Inspiring Belief
  • Element 5: Earning Trust
  • Element 6: Determining Ability
  • Elment 7: Gauging Readiness

Part 3: Using the 7 Elements

  • Assessing ‘Where You Are’
  • Tried & True Habits of the Best

Part 4: Implications, Observations and Predictions

  • The Lines Between Sales & Marketing are Blurring
  • The Future of the Business Development in Professional Services

Stay tuned for more detail as Tom and I meet for coffee each week to brainstorm the current chapter’s content.  Please let me know if any of our thinking is off kilter with your experiences and point of view.  Thank you!

DF