If you are running a successful professional service practice, you know better than anyone, it wasn’t magic that drove success. Rainmaking probably runs in your blood, and a lot of really hard work got you to this point. You are not going anywhere, but you are wondering how to grow a team of people that can add to new business growth.
If you are like many of the successful CEO’s I know, you have an aging base of clients, are surrounded by a growing number of support and technical staff getting the work done, and perhaps a few partners who run large client relationships. Your client base and growing team are a result of a lifetime of investment on your part, but what is going to happen to assure ongoing growth and sustainability?
Too often the principal who built a successful business says to high potential employees or partners- it is your turn to start growing the business. Go out and bring in new business opportunities. And not a lot more.
Without the skills, goals or even the right mindset, the desire to generate new business can quickly become an exercise in frustration. To be successful at building a sales culture, commitment, communication and culture shift are all in order.
Implement the following 8 building blocks, and watch your sales grow.
- Train everyone in the business how to talk about the firm’s value and what differentiates you from the competition. Help them practice in a safe environment.
- Brainstorm, build and measure the success of a small number of focused marketing campaigns to expand the reach of your message to target audiences
- Identify communication preferences on the team, and teach how to adapt to different client, and prospect styles.
- Set new business development expectations with enhanced job descriptions including sales roles and expectations. Hire with these key accountabilities in mind.
- Identify organizational business targets. Communicate and regularly monitor the goals with the entire team.
- Discuss what sales initiatives aren’t working to keep improving skills and strategies.
- Teach sales skills to the professionals working for you that don’t have a sales background.Consider bringing in a sales coach.
- Celebrate success!
Written by Helene Mazur
Helene is the founder of Princeton Performance Dynamics, a business coaching and strategic planning company. Helene’s passion is helping her clients to explore possibilities and map out a course, to manage and sell more effectively, improve productivity, grow, and have more fun.