Dragons, Fire & Miracles

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Dragons, Fire & Miracles

Context is everything.   The attitude and underlying beliefs with which we approach projects or circumstances determine the outcome far more than any specific words we say or actions we take.  When we put on green glasses, the world looks green.  Red glasses turn it red.  Whether you succeed in your business development efforts (or any other goals you may have) will depend largely on the lens through which you are viewing the situation. Consider this example.  The other day, I was talking with a client about her business development plan, and she was terribly uninspired.  Sometimes, we can focus on the activities that inspire us, but sometimes we just need to buckle down and take the actions that we would normally avoid like the plague.  In this particular case, 

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Learn How to Focus Better: Lessons from Michael Phelps

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Learn How to Focus Better: Lessons from Michael Phelps

You may have heard that, as a child, Michael Phelps had attention deficit disorder, but was able to stay off of medication by swimming for hours every morning before school.  At first, this may seem like a random bit of trivia or perhaps a recipe for helping children with ADD; but, it also points to a larger principle that applies to business development.  By helping us to become more focused, balanced and calm, and by improving brain function, exercise enables us to be more present with others – listen better, adapt and respond to others’ ideas and concerns – all of which are essential for developing new clients, not to mention maintaining good relationships with existing clients.

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The Human Side of Business Development

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The Human Side of Business Development

With the recent wackiness of the economy, it is easy to get caught up in the drama and accept prevailing ideas about what is and is not possible. But when you get clear about where you stand and what you do have control over, you are in a much better position to take advantage of business development opportunities. I invite you to focus on the following: Do What You Do Best.

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How to Design a Powerful Project

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Whether you are trying to find new clients, increase profitability, or finally start going to the gym one simple way to help yourself achieve the intention quickly is to write out a project plan.  The following are ten steps to create an effective plan.

  1. Set a specific and measurable goal, with a clear time frame. – Many of us aspire to get more of of the "right" type of clients, which is vague and, therefore, less powerful than a specific target like “sign a retainer agreement with one new clients who meets XYZ criteria by January 31”...
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Book Recommendation: Get Clients Now!

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Get Clients Now! A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals and Consultantsby C.J. Hayden

If you are interested in expanding your client base, but are not sure what to do next, check out this book.  It provides tools for evaluating your existing business development strategies, identifying areas of weakness, and designing a 28-day action plan to target those areas.  The book walks you through the process of selecting ten specific daily or weekly actions and provides a useful structure for tracking your progress.  This approach to marketing works by focusing on a set of simple and effective strategies done consistently over a period of time.  This book can be used on its own or in conjunction with a coaching/accountability structure.