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To Work For a Nonprofit Board

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Not-for-profit organizations make up the majority of my client list.  Frequently,  it is the executive board and not the executive director who contracts for my services.  Getting hired by an executive board is nearly always a challenge.  Typically,  a dozen  (or perhaps nearly twice that number)  people must approve both the proposed project and the service provider (me!).

Boards are always political and they are frequently hotbeds of strife and rivalries.  I have first-hand knowledge of board dynamics because for the better part of the past 20 years,  I’ve served on boards.  Board service can be tremendously rewarding or maddeningly frustrating.  I’ve experienced some of my most exhilarating victories and most painful defeats while serving on boards.  Through boards,  I’ve made good friends with whom I remain in contact and unfortunately,  more than a couple of lifelong enemies.  I understand boards very well.  In fact,  board development is a service that I offer to clients.

The problem with working on a per-project basis is that organizations are chronically understaffed and over-loaded with work,  both essential and ridiculous-but-required.  It is very easy to put anything that is not immediately urgent on the back burner forever.  The best way to get a project approved is to gain the confidence of a champion,  a person with authority and a budget,  or someone who can influence the one with the authority and budget,  and convince that individual to shepherd your project through the decision-making process and protect it from the inevitable naysayers who will oppose the project for reasons either understandable or mystifying.

Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Mark Suster of Upfront Ventures in Los Angeles has compiled a list of the usual suspects who impact group decisions.  In addition to the players listed,  there will also be neutral people,  who can go either way.

Champion

The project champion is its greatest supporter.  This individual has oftentimes conceived the project and has a big stake in seeing it realized.   The most effective project champion has authority,  persuasive power,  well-positioned allies and access to funding.  The champion takes an active role in pushing the project forward,  lobbying for support and outmaneuvering those in opposition.  Any initiative that involves a group decision will die in committee without the support of an influential and active champion who will run interference and speak up to defend it.

Expert

Decision-makers often have someone who acts as the  “expert witness”  when important matters are evaluated.  This person may have a background that allows him/her to know well the specific needs of a project,  which guides the choice of who is hired.  Alternatively,  the expert may be one who has excellent judgment or a gift for playing devil’s advocate that helps the decision-makers see obstacles or even other options that might otherwise be overlooked.  This person has influence,  not authority,  but their recommendation carries weight.

Influencer

The influencer probably does not possess the specific project knowledge of the expert,  but  he/she is a peer who has knowledge,   experience,  perspective and authority that the decision-makers respect.   He/she will be consulted or may volunteer an opinion when an important matter is up for discussion.

Sage

This person has significant tenure with the organization,  understands its core values and is generally respected by others.  He/she knows how things work and how to get things done.  The sage can be very helpful to you during the approval process.  He/she has valuable information that can be shared,  if you portray yourself as someone who cares about the organization and shows him/her some respect.  The sage can tell you who’s who on the decision team.  The sage usually cannot directly impact the decision process.

Enemy

This person hates you and aims to derail the project and get you off the premises.  He/she may be a rival of the champion.  He/she may be competing to scoop the funding for a project of his/her own.  The enemy may believe that the project is a waste of organization resources.   Sometimes the enemy doesn’t want you to do the project because he/she is angling to get a friend or relative hired.

Blocker

This person cannot approve the project,  but is happy to act as a spoiler.  He/she may not be able to prevent the project’s approval,  but will do whatever possible to delay the start date,  limit the scope and as a result,  impact your billable hours,  and/or generally catch the project up in red tape.  This person is not necessarily evil and may not actually hate you.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

 

 

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Your Brilliant Idea, the Set-up and the Pitch

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You envision a project concept that has the potential to significantly benefit both you and a particular organization.  You wrangle a meeting with either the decision-maker or one who has influence.  Convincingly,  you show that the proposed project will add money or prestige to the organization and that you are uniquely qualified to put the plan in motion and make it work.  You are invited to submit a formal proposal and you see dollar signs twinkling for all concerned.  Needless to say you are stunned when the proposal,  which you perceived to be a confirmation letter since you received the decision-maker’s unqualified invitation to submit,  is shot down.  What the heck happened?

Kimberly Elsbach,  associate professor of management at University of California / Davis,  has done research that shows it’s not only the perceived value of the project that is at issue,  but also the perceived value of the seller—you. According to Elsbach,  the decision-maker makes a judgment about your ability to generate a genuinely creative and beneficial idea and that prejudgment diminishes its perceived value.

Elsbach reached this conclusion when she studied the Hollywood film industry,  where filmmakers regularly  “pitch”  movie concepts to studio executives.  She also attended meetings where entrepreneurs pitch business concepts to venture capital investors,  yet another venue where brilliant ideas are proposed to those with the potential to fund them.

Elsbach emphasized that there are no reliable criteria on which to base creative potential,  so decision-makers rely on purely subjective and often inaccurate evaluation stereotypes,  which kick in very early in the pitch meeting.  From that point on the decision is made,  no matter what they tell you.

However,  Elsbach discovered that there is sometimes a way to redeem oneself.  The trick is to make the decision-maker feel that s/he is participating in an idea’s development.  In other words,  rather than bringing it in all wrapped up in a red ribbon,  showing that you’ve thought things through and you’re basically ready for the roll-out,  devise something for your decision-maker to do to feel needed and  important.  Make the decision-maker feel like a creative collaborator.

First,  set the stage and gain the decision-maker’s empathy by finding common ground or perspective.  If you’ve worked with this person before,  then mention some shared memory of mutual success.  “How is that program going these days?  I so enjoyed working on that project.  It is great to know that your customers have responded well…”  If you’ve not worked with this person previously,  go to their LinkedIn profile and look for common ground there.  After the greeting and other pleasantries,  slip into a shared experience or perspectives story,  whether it’s a project you did for him/her,  or an accidentally-on-purpose reference to a company that the two of you worked at  (“So you worked there, too? I remember the days…”)

Second,  when you segue into pitching your proposal,  show the proper level of excitement and passion.  Moreover,  resist the temptation of being so thorough that you don’t give your decision-maker,  who has an ego,  a chance to put their hands in it and impact the project.  As you are enthusing about the features of your proposal,  ask qualifying questions that will engage your decision-maker in a discussion of what the organization and its customers really need from the concept you are pitching and together with the decision-maker be willing to improvise and compromise on your original proposal.  If you can make the decision-maker feel some ownership,  s/he is much more likely to identify with and support you at the meeting where projects and proposals are reviewed and the executive team finalizes what gets funded and what doesn’t.

Coming up with a brilliant idea is the easy part.  Selling the idea to the organization with the means to fund that idea is the hard part.  Psychology is a sales resource and the successful sales professional makes expert use of it.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Who’s Getting Paid

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Freelancers who design Power Point presentations,  write reports and perform accounting functions are the big winners in Freelance Nation right now.  A recent review of 2Q 2013 data on 300,000 job postings by freelancer.com. revealed the results.  According to freelancer.com,  business owners are hiring Freelance workers to perform core functions,  jobs that once were the domain of permanent employees.

Demand for Power Point slide design and production increased 35%  from 1Q 2013 to 2Q 2013;  requests for accounting services jumped 23% and report writing 20% between the first and second quarters of this year.  By contrast,  demand for copyediting during this period fell by 14%.  The survey indicates that demand for Freelance skills that are mission-critical and require sophisticated and specific knowledge are on the rise.

Freelance graphic designers,  especially those proficient in website and Power Point slide production,  and content marketing writers are in demand.  Employers are backing away from pricey advertising agencies and are continuing the transition to Freelance labor,  a trend that started in the 1990s.  Requests for Freelance illustration was 20%  higher from 1Q 2013 to 2Q 2013 and Freelance Photoshop design increased by nearly the same amount.  Banner design assignments increased by 14%  and logo design projects were 9%  more plentiful in 2Q 2013 than they were in the first quarter of the year.  Speaking of design,  3D imaging’s depth and sophistication caused demand for 3D printing to shoot up by 17% in the second quarter of this year,  over the first.

In a 2012 global survey of 3,000 Freelance professionals conducted by Elance,  the online employment marketplace,   respondents were queried on the types of assignments they were receiving.  Web programming,  website design,  mobile app development,  graphic design,  online marketing and content writing were the predominant assignments and Elance predicted that the trend would continue into 2013.  Results of the freelance.com survey support that prediction.   Both surveys indicate that graphic designers,  accountants,  certain techies and writers are raking in most of the money in 2013.

Plan to succeed in the gig economy by identifying which of your skills clients will pay to obtain,  how to package and present those skills and how to connect with paying clients.  On your website and in all marketing materials,  demonstrate that you are a top-of-the-line professional who exceeds expectations and works with recognizable clients.  The latter may not be immediately possible,  but those who provide visual products should post a portfolio that makes it known to prospective clients that your work is distinctive and not cookie cutter.  Providers of intangible services should include case studies.  Every website should include client testimonials.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Why You Don’t Get the Sale

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Two or three years ago,  I read that a Freelancer’s main competition is not another Freelance consultant who does what you do.  Our real competitor is the client.  As the less than stellar economy grinds on,  enriching primarily the top 1%  of the population plus a few lucky folks in the  (shrinking)  middle class,  that statement gains more credence every day.  Prospective clients have got a boat load of excuses to slide away from a contract,  or cutting down what was originally promised.  Do you ever wonder what could possibly be on the minds of clients and prospects who promise you the moon and then either disappear or offer up a very paltry version of the original proposal?

According to Steve W. Martin,  professor of Sales Strategy at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and author of  “Heavy Hitter Sales Linguistics: 101 Advanced Sales Call Strategies for Senior Salespeople” (2011),  stress caused by peer pressure and insecurity is the culprit and its impact on decision-making is detrimental  (no surprise there).  Freelancers and sales people must do everything possible to communicate our value-added but in the end,  the decision to give the green light is an internal matter and those outside have only so much influence.  Here are examples of what worries our prospective clients:

Budget availability

There are two main criteria for deciding whether or not to give someone the contract or sale:  1). What is the ROI that will accrue from the sale? and 2). How does that ROI compare to what might be derived from other projects being considered?  Projects that are considered strategic by the senior execs have priority,  so if your project has that status,  it’s only a question of how many hours you can get.  Whatever your project,  product or service,   you must first receive the initial approval.  You may believe that because you have confirmed that you are talking to a decision-maker and s/he says the go-ahead is imminent,  that is not the whole story.  There is the all-important step two and that happens when  the team of heavy-hitters examines and ranks all pending projects and major sales and decides which items receive funding and at what amount.  In other words,  that decision-maker that you’ve been speaking with will confer with other decision-makers to compare which projects will go forward,  because projects are continually re-prioritized in response to shifting conditions.

Strategic imperatives

Your project must align with the organization’s goals as perceived by the higher-ups.  If you notice,  projects that are championed by lower-ranking employees often do not get funded because higher-ranking execs do understand or appreciate the value-added,  do not view the proposal as strategically significant.  Moreover,  your project must demonstrate that the sponsoring higher-up understands and is actively advancing strategically relevant projects,  products and services.

Ego and image

This is related to the above.  Your project must make its chief sponsor look good to the person s/he answers to,  as well as look good to colleagues and subordinates. When an outside consultant is hired or a major purchase is authorized,  the project champion absolutely must look like a genius for doing the deal.  Under no circumstances must s/he be perceived as having made the wrong move.  Peer pressure is real and the project champion worries about making the right decision,  especially if this is something that has not been done before.  This is why the Freelance consultant must at all times deliver exceptional service,  must exceed expectations,  because the reputation and career advancement of your project sponsor is riding on it.

I’ll talk more about your nervous prospect next week.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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The Unexpected RFP

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Have you ever received an RFP out of the blue? I’ve received two and I was gullible enough to respond to both and both times I received exactly what I deserved—nada!  Really,  I should have known better.   An RFP that slips into your mail box is a Trojan horse.  In fact,  I received a phone call this morning from an unknown person who claimed that she was looking for corporate trainers  (or some such)  and wants to include me in the search,  so I am about to receive unexpected RFP #3.

In reality,  what this dame and other stealth RFP senders often want is to round out a list of candidates in accordance with their company directives,  to make it easier for them to hire who they’ve already planned to hire.  Or,  the game is to either get the job done at the lowest price,  or free consulting advice through a fake RFP.

I was caught in what I suspect was the latter game a couple of years ago by a Harvard University-run charity,  no less.  They were looking for ways to juice their fundraising strategy and invited me in to talk for an hour.  I suspect that either no one was hired,  or the person hired was pre-determined and may have been given my ideas  (and maybe also the ideas of other suckers)  to implement,  along with my pricing info as a benchmark.

Whatever the motive,  beware the out-of-the-blue RFP.  The targeted Freelance consultants gain nothing but false hope and the  “opportunity”  to sally forth on a fool’s errand.   However,  I’ve decided that if  this latest RFP is sent  ( I provided my email address),  I will respond—my way.   I will telephone the contact person and ask a few questions…..

The first question I’ll ask is,  who referred me?  The second question I’ll ask is,  who is performing that job now?  The third question,  what is motivating the change if someone is already doing that job,  whether in-house or a Freelancer? Is that person doing an unsatisfactory job and in what ways?  I shall listen very carefully to the replies.

If the answers do not add up,   I will decline the RFP and politely state that I don’t get why I’ve been invited to apply,  that I typically respond to RFPs from clients with whom I have a relationship,  after we’ve discussed project objectives.

On the other hand,  if the answers to my first three questions pass muster,  I will ask three more:

1).   Who is the project decision-maker and the stakeholders and may I meet with them?

2).   What information will the perfect RFP for this project contain?

3).    How will success for this project be measured and who holds the yardstick?

Nevertheless,  while meeting is helpful,  it is not a fail-safe.   My fake RFPs both included a face-to-face.  If you are invited to come in and speak about the project,  do so without submitting a proposal.  Give them nothing beyond an hour of your time.

If the company insists on wheedling information out of you  “What would you do in this situation…?”,  tell them you’ll be happy to discuss that going forward if it looks like you should work together.  Put nothing into writing.  If recipes to solve a problem are required beforehand,  know that it’s an RFP shake-down.

RFPs are awarded by clients with whom we have a relationship and even then,  you might not win.  Three years ago,  I brought a program concept to a decision-maker at a not-for-profit.  During a $40.00  lunch that I paid for,  I was invited to write a proposal.

Bingo! I said,  but it was not to be.   After more consideration,  it was determined that the staffing needed to support my proposed program was not available and there was no budget to hire.  I believe that the intent was not to screw me,  but I was devastated and it still stings.

So what should you do if an unsolicited RFP comes your way? Proceed with caution,  ask questions to help reveal the sender’s motives,  listen carefully to the answers and whatever you decide,  do not get your hopes up.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Face-to-Face Client Meeting Primer

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When you run a good meeting,  you show prospective clients that you can be trusted.  The project will be in good hands because you are a pro.   In your meeting you will show that you are prepared: you understand the clients’ needs and the needs of the clients’ customers.  You demonstrate your value-added and ability to meet or exceed expectations.  You know how to land the plane and they will  look like a genius for hiring you.

Here is the continuation of the meeting primer developed by Geoffrey James,  author of  “How to Say it: Business to Business Selling” (2011).   James  suggests that you follow these rules to make sure that you make a good impression in your next meeting and I totally agree.  I’ve edited and condensed his list.

8.   Don’t start the meeting with a SALES PITCH.  If you are meeting with a prospective client who would like to get to know you better,  respect that wish and be grateful for the chance to build a business relationship.  Do not be crass and push a selfish agenda.   Rather, encourage the prospect to talk about him/herself and the business and what’s gone on in the past, what the preferred future will look like and the role you can play in bringing the business to that point.

9.   RESEARCH the client’s organization,  so that you’ll have a good understanding of what business priorities and concerns are likely to be before you walk into the meeting.   Have ideas of how your services can benefit the organization.  Visit the company website and read the mission statement,   familiarize yourself with the organization’s primary products and services and get to know its clients.  In other words,  do your homework.

10.   Remember the NAMES of everyone at the meeting.   After the introductions,  make a note of the names of all participants.  Offer your business card to all and try your best to likewise get a card from everyone present,  so that you can confirm titles and have contact info.

11.   Take NOTES,  so that you’ll have a record of what everyone has agreed to,  especially you.  Remember to bring a nice note pad or your notebook computer.  It can be very useful to send a confirmation email to everyone,  as a way to confirm any agreements and time tables.

12.   Keep the meeting on FOCUS,  so that you don’t lose control of the agenda and fail to get your questions answered.  It will be up to you to bring the meeting back to the main topic if the client  tends to meander into sidebars.  Make sure the meeting is productive and not a waste of time.

13.   End the meeting on TIME.  Respect the client’s schedule and do what you can to follow the agenda.  The only exception would be if the client is anxious to push forward ASAP and creates space in his/her calendar to spend more time discussing the project.

14.   FOLLOW UP on whatever you agree to do,  within the expected time frame.

15.   Write a THANK YOU LETTER.  If you were invited to meet with a prospective client or reconnect with a previous one,  demonstrate your appreciation in writing.  Get some nice stationery  (time to get your own personalized business stationery printed up fast if you haven’t done so already)  and write a three or four sentence letter.   Drop it in the mail maximum 48- 72 hours after the meeting.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Face-to-Face Sales Meeting Primer

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Lucky you,  at last you scored a meeting with the dream client you’ve been pursuing for months.   Or did you get back in the door of a former client and sign on for repeat business?  A meeting to discuss specifics has been called and you can taste the contract.  To make sure that you don’t inadvertently put your foot in it and screw up your good fortune,   herewith is a sales meeting primer that will help your face-to-face meetings produce the outcome you want.  These pointers were developed by Geoffrey James,  author of  “How to Say It: Business to Business Selling”  (2011).  I’ve condensed and edited.

1.    Have a specific GOAL, or list of OBJECTIVES,  that will define the purpose of the meeting.  When the meeting is called to discuss a specific project,  then your goal is to get the information you need to determine how you will meet the client’s expectations and the project  time-table.  You must also determine whether you can do the job on your own,  or if will you need to subcontract some part of it.  A few days before the meeting,  start jotting down questions that will bring out the necessary info.

2.   Create a meeting AGENDA,  which can be that list of questions you’ve come up with.   

3.    Arrive EARLY to the meeting,  15 minutes ahead of time.   Go to the restroom and check your appearance.

4.    Turn off your PHONE.  

5.    Do not TALK TOO MUCH.  Remember that the meeting’s purpose is for you to gather information and for the client to communicate project needs and timetable,  confirm that you are qualified to do the job and get a sense of how it will be to work with you.  By all means,  greet your client with some friendly banter that reveals your authentic self.  A minute or two of social lubricant is necessary to relax everyone.  Just don’t let the chit-chat go on and on.  You are the one who must gracefully segue  into the business conversation.

6.    Don’t be PASSIVE.  Remember that you’ve been invited into the meeting to make a contribution,  to add your expert insights and opinions.  Speak up when necessary.  Ask questions,  provide answers.

7.    Don’t ARGUE with the client.  If your client has a business practice or opinion that seems unusual to say the least,  diplomatically ask what has brought him/her to that conclusion.  There may be a compelling reason that you haven’t thought of.  Be careful not to make the client feel as though he/she is out in left field,  or behind the times  (especially if that is exactly the case!).  

Social media gets all the hype and we all love the convenience of email.  Still,  there’s no way to underestimate the value  of human interaction.  For many conversations,  the telephone is better than email and a face-to-face meeting is the best of all.  Learn how to make the most of your meetings.  I’ll be back next week with more on how to run good meetings.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Your Big Client Bid Strategy

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Freelance consultants have to be nimble and resourceful in order to compete successfully and that is especially so when in pursuit of a big-league client.  Winning a big client is tremendous validation,  but when swimming with whales it is essential to take precautions and maintain as much control over the process as possible.   It would be disastrous to do what is second nature to many small business operators and Freelancers: whatever it takes to get the job in and whatever it takes to get the job done.   Pursuing important clients with big contracts out for bid takes a more sophisticated approach.

When assessing and pricing a big  contract,  the project fee attached to your proposal carries much weight,  in more ways than one.   Bid too high and you’re knocked out of contention.   Bid too low,  a common practice of Freelance consultants and small business owners,  and one of two impressions will be made:

1.   That you are perhaps unqualified to do the work because you’re selling your services for too little money,  or

2.   That you’re desperate for business and probably ripe for exploitation.

To both convey the image of a capable and experienced professional and ensure that you make money on the project,  be sure that you thoroughly understand what will be required to fulfill the contract and your ability to do so.   Job costing and cash flow projections will need special care.   Will you need extra expertise for some aspect of this job,  or perhaps an extra pair of hands in order to meet the timetable? 

Realize that big projects for big clients mean big accounts receivable and there can be a downside.   Be honest about how much money you can afford to have outstanding,  even if  payments are received on time.   Help yourself by requesting 20% – 35% of the project fee up-front and due within 15 days of the contract signing.   Set up a payment schedule in your proposal that ensures you’ll be able to pay any subcontractors and also yourself on time.

Freelancers and small business owners often compete on price,  but one is advised to avoid dangerously low bids in order to get work or add a marquis name to the client list,  only to receive very little profit from the project.   Michael MacMillan,  founder and CEO of MacMillan Communications of New York City,  focuses on selling personal attention and customized PR strategies to his clients and providing more bang for the buck.   “One of the advantages of being a smaller organization is that you’re more efficient because there are fewer overhead costs.  We are able to apply more of the project fee directly to account work”. 

According to Jeffrey Bolton,  managing partner at the accounting firm Daszkal Bolton LLP of Boca Raton, FL,  the key to evaluating whether to pursue a big client is to ask yourself  how important that account will be for future business growth and whether the project work fits into your strategic plan,  even if you don’t make money on it.  “If you’re trying to build a reputation,  that foot in the door is necessary,  but you must have an institutional mind-set when taking on a big client and not a mom-and-pop mind-set”.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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What Consulting Companies Know

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There are certain similarities between consulting companies and Freelancers.  The firms work on a project basis, as we do. They submit proposals and compete for clients, as we do.  Like us, the firm’s consultant comes to the client’s organization as a hired gun, takes on the assignment, produces the deliverables and gets paid.  The similarities seem to end there, however.

The fact is,  consulting companies get a lot more respect and a lot more money than Freelancers.  The consulting company’s value-added is perceived as more valuable than the Freelancer’s value-added.  Most clients have a great deal of trust and confidence in consulting companies (well, at least the person who hired them does).  As a result,  consulting companies are awarded the most lucrative projects.  Their calls and emails are always returned.

Likewise,  Freelancers who have worked for consulting companies are held in higher regard by clients and prospects.  Anecdotal evidence leads me to believe that they receive more lucrative contracts,  billing more hours and commanding a higher rate. Freelancers with a consulting company background appear to know a secret code,  know all the right moves.  I came to realize my knowledge gap through a series of casual meetings with an acquaintance of mine named Erika.

Erika once worked for a mid-size consulting company,  first in their LA office,  then in NYC.  Like me,  she facilitates strategy meetings in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors,  but we cannot call each other competitors.  Erika stands head and shoulders above me in terms of consulting savoir-faire and client list.  Next to her,  I am the country cousin!  Erika is a very cool girl and over time she took pity on my poor, untutored self and shared a few consulting company secrets.

Primarily,  the advantage gained from consulting company experience is that one learns how to build value into all client interactions.  The perception of adding value starts with the very first client meeting.  A consultant’s job is to deliver comprehensive,  data driven analysis,  insights and answers that produce the desired results. Those analyses,  answers and insights form the basis of the strategies that the client will be advised to implement,  so that key goals and objectives will be reached.

Erika lets it be known that she will deliver the goods.  In the client meeting,  she asks questions that reveal what the client wants and help her discover what the client needs–that information forms the essence of Erika’s value-added.  Next,  she confirms with the client that she’s accurately grasped the project scope and understands all priorities and timetables.  She follows up in writing and in fact boasts that she does not so much submit proposals as send confirmation letters.

Erika isn’t awarded every assignment she’s invited to discuss,  but her track record is very good.  Before she starts work on a project,  she also takes a few important actions to keep her value-added rolling:

I.  Recognize,  and if possible meet,  the organization’s senior management team: the CEO, ED and other key staff.  Their names and sometimes also photos are probably listed on the company website.

II.  Learn the thought process that led to the project’s initiation and approval.  If possible,  read the project proposal and review any preliminary work that may have been done.  Find out who supports the project and who opposes it if you are able, to learn who your friends and detractors will be.

III. Know the organizations’ basic financial data.  Read the most recent annual report and examine the P & L to learn the annual operating budget,  total annual revenue,  gross profits,  profit margin and operating margin.

IV.  Know your client’s top five competitors: key products and services,  annual operating budget,  total annual revenue and gross profits.  Know what differentiates each main competitor from your client and know each main competitor’s strengths and weaknesses.

V.   For nonprofit organization clients, know which agencies within a 10-20 mile radius deliver similar services or compete for a similar constituency.  Know where and how those agencies offer services that complement or compete with your client’s mission.

VI.   Cultivate good relationships with your project sponsor and other key project supporters.  Identify a couple of good restaurants near your client’s geography and invite your sponsor and/or those with whom you work most closely out for coffee or lunch,  as applicable.

VII.  Become a resource for useful information to your client.  Sign up for Google Alerts and stay current with industry news and competitor’s activities.  If an item looks particularly intriguing or urgent,  send the link to the right people.  This practice can continue after project completion,  as can the above strategy, to extend relationship building and value-added.  Your objective is to entice the client to engage you for repeat business and to refer you to others.

Thanks for reading,
Kim