About this deal
We will not develop, nor share with the client, creative of any kind before the challenge has been diagnosed and the strategy prescribed and agreed to." If we were to accept even half of the project work that comes to us, then we would find ourselves aimlessly building a tactical firm burdened by too many small clients and projects, with the commensurate challenges of poorer financial reward and less fulfillment." We Will Refuse to Work at a Loss Profit margins are higher in the first two phases (diagnose and prescribe) than in the last two (apply and reapply). Our thinking is the value-added differentiator in the first two phases. They haven't heard a great diagnosis of their problem and possible solution. And often we haven't responded to the motivation but to the request. If a client is concerned about their FUTURE and you are responding to TODAY.. you will lose. I know this.
The lesson is that the most successful clients, whether owners or executives, have achieved their success in part because of their ability to take control - their ability to rise above and orchestrate others. This is their strength; and even though it is not always in their best interest, it is in their nature." Negotiating success goes to the party most comfortable talking about money. By talking about money issues as early and as often as possible, we make sure that that party is us. Project work (waiving the MLE) is permisable in case you have the capacity, if it is profitable, if you do not need to compete, if it sears the opportunity to bigger projects and if it does not interfere with clients which you have included in your MLE. Freedom of Execution → Welcome input on strategy, but require freedom of execution. I.e. Client should focus focus on the “outcome” vs “how” you get there.
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As artists, we do not work for money, but for the sake of creating something and hopefully making a positive change in the world.
Expertise is the only valid basis for differentiating ourselves from the competition. Not personality. Not process. Not price. When the client has few alternatives to our expertise then we can dictate pricing, we can set the terms of the engagement and we can take control." The book defines “pitch” as to attempt to sell or win approval for one's ideas by giving them away for free, usually within a competitive, buyer-driven process. My focus is on issues management & crisis communication; leadership communication & executive preparedness; thought leadership & corporate reputation; and strategic problem-solving & facilitation. I have considerable expertise across ethical healthcare, OTC, consumer health and medical devices and has worked for healthcare clients including Takeda, Roche Diagnostics, Pfizer Consumer Health, Medtronic, Macmillan Cancer Support, Medco, Allergan and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
Customer reviews
The very best salespeople are respectful, selective facilitators of change. They help people move forward to solve their problems and capitalize on their opportunities. The rest talk people into things." When wanting to have open options. We must be narrow. We must walk through one door and close it. Only then we can see that new doors lie ahead, but the first we should close it. Continuous Reference to Strategy: "Immediately prior to presenting any creative, we will review the agreed upon strategy with the client."
NOTE: when you pitch too hard, you make it difficult for the client to be honest / trust. This makes it hard to get to no / understand objections. Enns made the thematic and structural choice for this book to write it entirely in "we" statements, or proclamations, of which there are 12. It has the vibe of certainty, of time-worn experience creating some trustworthy principles. But it also means we don't get to hear any personal stories from Enns' actual experience, though, and it sounds like there could be some awesome anecdotes from contracts gone wrong.we should not progress so far as to share our diagnosis with the client before we are hired and appropriately paid."