I am 95% billable and I generate business for my company

Many professional service firms’ CEOs and managers are convinced that time spent on overhead activities detracts from the revenue of the company by lowering billability. This is one of the largest misconceptions I have seen. In both my corporate experience and with clients I applied a technique that maintained high billability and generated sales, even…

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Creating change is a top-down imperative

Those who control person’s job status, salary and recognition within the firm have ultimate control.  Does this mean a CEO can order change to occur?  My observations are consistent with organizational behavior theory.  The answer is no, at least in the professional environment where I spent over 35 years of my career. What I have…

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Professional services industry trends and solutions

The industry sales model is changing. It is moving solidly to a seller-doer model and away from having dedicated sales responsible staff. The SMPS Foundation conducted and published a research report in 2013 called A/E/C BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT – The Decade Ahead that supports this. In the last ten years, twenty one-percent of SMPS member firms…

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In a successful organization, sales is part of everybody’s job

In a successful organization, sales is part of everybody’s job. Most firms have only a few persons who are actively engaged in generating revenue. There is often tension over being billable and helping to secure the next project. This is not limited to management. Staff at all levels feels this tension, so the action of…

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You don’t need to be senior to stimulate healthy sales behavior

Consider doing this. As a CEO, ask  your staff to have a conversation with their clients that has nothing to do with the project.  As a Marketing Manager or Coordinator, when staff tells you they are conducting a client visit for a proposal, ask them to bring back something about the client, like what that client person…

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Certainty blasts away career limits

You may be a CEO, or you may be a mid-level technical or business professional. Either way, to reach your goal with the certainty that you will be better off and happy, you first need to believe in the outcome of your decisions. Remember that certainty is built on belief. Olympic runner Roger Banister believed he could run a mile…

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Technical staff has what it takes to win clients

This is a quick note with thanks for the fortune of a valuable lesson that impacted my career. The following is my story. This may remind you of a similar experience.  Now is a good time to thank those who helped shape your career and to think about how you might help someone by challenging…

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