Workshop Overview:

This workshop prepares professional services individuals to transform their work and image from simply "providers of services" to true business partners with clients. At the heart of effective marketing strategies is the relationship with the client or propsecitve client. Come explore the key element of building and maintaining client relationships through discovering practical strategies that demonstrate the value of the professional service individual and the firm to the client. Workshop participants will travel beyond the boundaries of the firm to explore marketing and business development from the client’s point of view, debunking the many myths associated with this essential activity.

Workshop Outcomes:

Participants of this workshop will leave with:

• An expanded understanding of what marketing/business development means and why is it important.
• A refreshed view of the client’s expectations of an effective marketer/business developer.
• A recognition of the strengths and weaknesses of their preferred communication style.
• Learn to use the most advantageous communication style when working with clients.
• A renewed look at how to make basic networking techniques work in new ways.
• A model of relationship management that connects to the client’s specific business needs.

Workshop Key Topics

• Marketing from the Client’s Perspective: What They Want—and Don’t Want!
• Your Communication Style: You Gotta Understand This First!
• Nouveau Networking: Opportunities for Finding New Clients—and Retaining Existing Ones!
• Client Relationship Management: Building Tru st and Credibility

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Proposed Workshop Outline*

Welcome and Introduction

• Introductory Exercise: What I Hate About Marketing!
• Participant Expectations
• Workshop Agenda/Objectives

Marketing from the Client's Perspective: What They Want

• Reasons to Avoid Being a Salesperson

Your Communication Style: You Gotta Understand This First!

• The "I Speak Your Language" Communication Style Self-Assessment
  - Balancing "Ask, Tell, Task, Relationship"
• Using Your Style to "Connect" With Clients

"Nouveau" Networking: Opportunities for Finding New Clients

• Prospecting: Where to Find New Clients
• Introducing Yourself to a New Prospect
  - Understanding Your Competitive Advantage
  - Exercise: Creating Your "Commercial"

Client Relationship Management

• Building Trust
  - Understanding the Client Needs/Environment
  - Questioning and Listening Techniques
  - Types of Questions
  - Exercise: How Well Do You Listen?
• Establishing and Building Credibility
  - The Ladder of Credibility
  - Being Viewed as a Competent Advisor
  - Proposing Solutions
       - Leveraging the Firm-Wide Capabilities
• Practice Exercise: Building Trust and Credibility

Session Close

*Outline may be modified after further consultation with client.