Table of Contents

Acknowledgments…………………………………………………………………. xiii

Preface…………………………………………………………………………………. xv

About the Format and How You Might Choose to Approach This Book ………………………………………………………….. xvii

Self-Assessment Quiz: How ready are you? Test your “seal the deal-ability”…………………………………………….            xix

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..            1

What’s            in            It            for            You ………………………………………………………………..            1

Developing New Business, Your Way ……………………………………            3

Overview of Seal the Deal…………………………………………………………..            5

Barriers to Effective Business Development …………………………            6

The Power of Rainmaking ……………………………………………………..            7

Playing by the Numbers …………………………………………………………            8

Getting Out of Your Own Way …………………………………………….            9

People Buy from You for a Finite Set of Reasons………………….            10

No One Is on the Bench ……………………………………………………….            11

Competition …………………………………………………………………………..            12

Navigating            the            System …………………………………………………………….            13

Step1:

DemystifyingSellingandDistinguishing Networking, Marketing, and Sales ………………………………            15

Telecourse Session #1: Your 30-Second Commercial ………………….            16

The Difference between Marketing and Sales ………………….            16

30-Second Commercial Basics …………………………………………            19

Losing Negative Baggage ……………………………………………………….            31

Helping Professions and the Conflict with Sales ……………………            31

Worksheet: Understanding your Mindsets …………………………            33

Partnership            and            Service:            Mental            Positioning …………………………..            36

Worksheet: Mental Positioning …………………………………………..            37

Distinguishing Between Networking, Marketing, and Sales ……………………………………….            38

Practice Tips: Networking, Marketing, and Sales……………………….            42

Time Management: The Accordion Effect …………………………….            43

Worksheet: Time Management …………………………………………..            46

Practice            Tips:            Planning            Your            Week ……………………………………..            47

Step 2: The Sales Process, Targeting Prospects, and Branding …………………………………………………………….            49

Telecourse Session #2: The Sales Process and

Introduction to Targeting ……………………………………………………            50

Fine-Tuning            Your            30-Second            Commercial ……………………….            50

The Sales Process and Bowtie Model ………………………………            62

Defining Your Services …………………………………………………………..            66

Sample Definitions of Executive Coaching

from Different Experts ……………………………………………………….            66

Moments of Truth and the Service Cycle ………………………………            70

Branding ………………………………………………………………………………..            72

Branding Worksheet: Defining Your Brand …………………………            74

Targeting Worksheet: Making Strategic Choices……………………            76

Step 3: Calling Prospects and Setting Up the First Meeting ……..            81

Telecourse Session #3:

Moving Toward Your First Client Meeting …………………………………………………………….            82

The Sales Process Revisited …………………………………………….            82

Appointment-Setting            Tips ………………………………………………..            91

Starting the Client Conversation ……………………………………..            93

Phone Fear ……………………………………………………………………………. 101

Exercise: Guided Inquiry about Phone Fear …………………….. 102

Practice Script: Setting Appointments ……………………………….. 103

Worksheet: Prospect Contact Log …………………………………….. 104

Tip Sheet: Appointment Setting ………………………………………… 105

Step 4: Handling Gatekeepers and Objections ………………………. 107

Telecourse Session #4:

Getting Appointments ………………………….. 108

Appointment-Setting Results ………………………………………….. 108

Cold Calls, Phone Fear, and the Myth of Preparation…….. 118

Dealing with Objections …………………………………………………. 120 BeyondObjections………………………………………………………….. 124

Getting Past the Gatekeepers…………………………………………………. 127

Voice Mail Gatekeeping ………………………………………………………… 129

Practice Script: Voice Mail Messaging…………………………………. 131

Handling Objections: The Beginning of the Chess Match …… 132

Tip Sheet: Typical Objections and Responses …………………… 136

Handling Rejection ……………………………………………………………….. 138

Worksheet: Overcoming Objections …………………………………. 140

Keeping Track………………………………………………………………………… 142

Worksheet: Prospect Call Analysis …………………………………….. 143

Step 5: The Client Meeting as a Chess Match …………………………            145

Telecourse Session #5: Into the Client Meeting ………………………….. 146

Experiences with Objections ………………………………………….. 146

The Power of Persistence ……………………………………………….. 150 IntheMeeting…………………………………………………………………. 156

Elements of Successful Client Meetings………………………….. 164

Keeping Your Focus in a Client Meeting (Keep Your Head in the Game)………………………………………….. 169

Listening in the Client Meeting ……………………………………………… 171

Strategic Storytelling ……………………………………………………………… 171

Getting a Second Meeting …………………………………………………….. 173

Checklist: Elements of Successful Client Meetings ………….. 174

Sample: Client Meeting Interview Questions …………………… 176

Checklist: Client Meeting Reminders…………………………………. 178

Step 6: Following Up and Tracking ………………………………………. 179

Telecourse Session #6: Follow Up ……………………………………………… 180

Working Strategies for Follow Up …………………………………… 181

Follow-Up Support Systems ……………………………………………. 186

Checklist: Follow-Up Strategies ………………………………………… 190

Following Up and the Mind Games We Play ………………………… 191

Tracking Your Progress………………………………………………………….. 193

Step 7: Proposals, Pricing, and Contracting ……………………………. 195

Sample: Coaching Proposal Cover Letter………………………….. 196

Sample: Coaching Proposal ……………………………………………… 197

Telecourse Session #7: Dialogue on Proposals ………………………….. 207 TheOffer………………………………………………………………………… 207

About Fees, Value, and Giving Work Away …………………….. 209

Proposal Basics ……………………………………………………………….. 216

Proposal Formats ……………………………………………………………. 219

The Purpose of Proposals …………………………………………………….. 223

Proposal Models…………………………………………………………………….. 224

Pricing …………………………………………………………………………………… 226

Shifting the Money Conversation ………………………………………….. 228

Asking for What You Want …………………………………………………… 229

The Set Up: Structuring the Engagement ……………………………… 230

Contracting and Setting Up an Engagement………………………….. 230

Coaching Agreement……………………………………………………………… 233

Sample:Coaching Agreement ………………………………………….. 234

Individual Coaching Agreement ……………………………………………. 236

Sample: Individual Coaching Agreement ………………………….. 236

Coaching ROI Resources ………………………………………………………. 240

Step 8: Networking ……………………………………………………………… 243

Telecourse Session #8: Expanding the Sale and Using Your Network ………………………………………………………….. 244

Ways to Expand the Sale …………………………………………………. 244

Ongoing Networking ………………………………………………………. 248 NetworkingMindsets………………………………………………………. 250

Networking Vehicle: Informational Interviews ……………….. 255

What is Networking?……………………………………………………………… 264

Nine Mindsets of Networking……………………………………………….. 266 Checklist:NetworkingActions………………………………………….. 267

Step 9: Lessons-Learned Meetings and Expanding the Sale While Serving the Client ……………… 269

Telecourse Session #9: Expanding Business While Billing Time ……………………………………………………………… 270

A Glance Back: Networking, Marketing, andProspecting……………………………………………………………. 270

Lessons-Learned Meetings ……………………………………………… 273

Damage Control and Handling Critical Feedback ………….. 281

Building Business While Billing Time …………………………………… 284

Lessons-LearnedMeetings…………………………………………………….. 285

Sample: Lessons-Learned Meeting Discussion Points ………. 286

Initiating New Sales Conversations………………………………………… 288

Step 10: Building Business and the Art of Referrals …………………. 289

Telecourse Session #10: Referral Relationships ………………………….. 290

Great Lessons-Learned Meeting Questions …………………….. 290 LeveragingReferrals………………………………………………………… 300 Referrals1-2-3…………………………………………………………………. 305

Referral Guidelines ……………………………………………………………….. 307

Checklist: Four Keys to Referrals………………………………………. 308

Integrating it All …………………………………………………………………… 309

GettinginAction…………………………………………………………………… 309

Worksheet: Personal Action Plan ………………………………………. 310

Template: Personal Strategic Business

Development Action Plan ……………………………………………. 311

8 Visioning Ideas ………………………………………………………. 313 13NetworkingIdeas…………………………………………………. 314

12 Marketing Ideas …………………………………………………… 315

12 Sales Ideas ……………………………………………………………. 316

Worksheet: My Personal Strategic Business Development Action Plan for Networking, Marketing, and Sales ………. 317

Worksheet: My Individual Selling System ………………………….. 318

Mental Positioning Checklist: Critical Mindsets for Success in Sales ………………………………………………………. 319

Final Thoughts and Next Steps ……………………………………………… 321

Checkpoints on the Road to Success …………………………………….. 321

You’re Only as Good as Your Weakest Link………………………….. 324

Play Big …………………………………………………………………………………. 324

Mailbox Money………………………………………………………………………. 325

How Big is Big Enough? ………………………………………………………. 326

Harness the Sales Process………………………………………………………. 327

Onward . . . ………………………………………………………………………….. 327

MoreHomework…………………………………………………………………… 329

Recommended Reading ………………………………………………………… 331

About the Author…………………………………………………………………… 333

About Innovative Leadership International LLC ………………………. 335

Acknowledgments

It truly takes a village to raise a child, and birthing a book is no different. I am so grateful to the people of my virtual village, who have supported my crazy ideas and helped to make this book possible. If it weren’t for Jeremy Robinson, I wouldn’t have done a telecourse about Sealing the Deal in the first place, and his generosity, encouragement, and support in many ways contributed to the launch of this endeavor. If Felice Wagner hadn’t partnered with me to provide sales training to our joint clients I wouldn’t have had nearly as much to say in this book, since she taught me how to shift my own mindset about sales and selling. Many friends and colleagues supported the development of the book directly: Thanks to Mark Cappellino, Darryl Salerno, and Kat Kadin for selflessly providing feedback as my content readers in the early stages of the book. Thank you to my terrific telecourse participants over the years, and all my clients (you know who you are) who have taught me so much and who live in my heart long after our coaching engagements have ended. Thanks to Tom Finn, Steve Gladis, Bill Bergquist, Judith Glaser, Sue Bethanis, Rebecca Merrill, Ginny O’Brien, Len Merson, Bud Bilanich, and Linda Finkle for sharing resources and many conversations about book writing, editing, publishing, and promoting. Thanks to Suzanne Levy and Lisa Nabors for coaching me to design an expanded strategy around my telecourse content. To my fabulous and very vital brothers of the law, Todd Benoff and Stewart Pomerantz, who kept asking me the tough questions and supported me with both legal counsel and brotherly advice. To Popster Bob Silberfarb, who helped with my sub- title and computer issues. Many thanks to Leslie Stephen, my editor extraordinaire, who tightened up and organized my thoughts so well. To Bob Carkhuff, my miraculous publisher, who showed up at the right time and took a chance on this unknown author. To Kyle King and the Amazons, Nancy Wunderlich, Dani Pardo, Sarah Sneed, Kim Komrad, Sandor Kovacs, Wendy Capland, Shawn and Cynthia Adler, Eric and Lori Marshall, Jackie Eiting, Roberta Greenberg, Padma Ayyagari, Kim Cox, Suzy Pereira, Patricia Bowens, Linda Lang, and my brother, Jack Benoff who provided sanity, enthusiastic interest, willing ears, emotional fuel, and strong shoulders to lean on while I rode the crests and dips of the entire book process. I’m so thankful for my wonderful family: my soul mate and husband-partner Bruce, and my delicious and magical children Samantha and Bryan who make every day worth living joyfully and who make the concept of legacy important. My most enthusiastic cheerleader and biggest support is my amazing mom, Bethany Portner Silberfarb, who is always there for me in life, business, and the pursuit of all things meaningful. You can’t write a book without wonderful people in your corner, and I am truly blessed with an abundance of wonderful people. My corner runneth over!