Page 8 - KI Insights July 2017

Leadership Development Update

SELLING OUR SERVICES

By John Myers and Linda Sweet

Selling Leadership Development Our goal is to become the firm of ourselves from competitors, and
and Executive Coaching (LD/EC) choice so they call us when they hopefully close the sale.
services is very different from have a need. As a result, we get
We are excited to say that our
selling career transition or even a call with an “order” of sorts.
LD/EC business seems to be pick-
search. Whereas leadership de- They tell us the person’s name
ing up and a few of our key strat-
velopment and executive coach- and program level and we con-
egies for growing this side of our
ing is best described as a consul- nect with the person and start
business are showing some real
tative sale, career transition (and the delivery of services (actually
promise …… namely:
even search to some degree) has not that simple but you get the
1. Developing more busi-
become more of a “product” point).
ness with larger companies that
sale. What do we mean by that?
With LD/EC, we have to create
Simple …… have a steady stream of individu-
the business. Clients often don’t
al executive coaching opportuni-
Clients know what career transi- even know when our capabilities
ties (more of a product like out-
tion is and when to use it. When and programs are a solution to a
placement), and
clients separate an employee, problem they are having. They
2. Increasing the number of
career transition/outplacement know what the issue is or the
larger LD related projects we
is usually a part of their sever- future goal is that they have in
sell.
ance package. The sales process mind, but they may not know
is about distinguishing us from what a solution could be. In or- Key to this approach is the focus
the competition. Buyers shop to der to sell LD/EC services, our of our business development
compare different company business development team team and of course referrals
offerings so the sale is about needs to engage the client in from clients who have experi-
highlighting why we are different strategic discussions, ask ques- enced our great work.

and better, not only for the par- tions, and listen to their needs
After all these years, we contin-
ticipant who will use the service, and pain points before offering
ue to learn …………
but also for the buyer/client. We up a solution. We often need to
distinguish ourselves through build a customized solution and
our communication and flexibil- develop a formal proposal, pre-
ity. sent it to the client, distinguish