Notes and Takeaways from The Win Without Pitching Manifesto
Source: Amazon.
When I read it: May 2019.
Why I read it: I was considering whether to take on a consulting project. I wanted to make sure I had a solid sales and service plan before I started the project and negotiated compensation. I selected this book because it came highly recommended from a trusted friend.
Go to the Amazon page for details and reviews.
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My notes
The book is written for someone who wants to provide their expertise as a service (e.g. consulting, design, software development, writing, etc.).
The book is broken down into 12 “proclamations” on how to “win without pitching”.
(Proclamation = “a public or official announcement, especially one dealing with a matter of great importance.”)
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.
(This concept is also helpful to employers who might want to hire top talent on a consulting basis)
Proclamation 1: We will specialize
Being viewed as a top expert is key to winning without pitching.
Deep expertise is the way to differentiate and drive higher pricing.
Power in the client-consultant relationship often rests with the client and this power comes from choices (competition).
Positioning is how you shift the power.
If you can position yourself as a specialist with deep expertise, you can minimize alternatives.
Good positioning reduces or eliminates competition, which shifts the power.
To position yourself, you:
Choose a focus (i.e. what business are you in?)
Articulate that focus via claims of expertise
Add missing skills, capabilities, and processes to support your claims
Positioning = fundamental business strategy.
Good positioning leads to “sales advantages” and “price premiums”.
Sales advantage → where we focus, we win more often than not.
Price premium → where we win, we do not cut price; we charge more.
Good positioning also leads to control of how to guide the project.
Don’t start projects with clients who don’t know what problem they are solving —> get paid to clarify this.
Key concept → Control diminishes over time.
Proclamation 2: We will replace presentations with conversations
We are addicted to the adrenaline rush that comes from the win-or-lose situation of a presentation.
To be free of the pitch, you must break this addiction.
Replace presentation (and pitch) with conversation and collaboration.
When you pitch —> even when you win, you lose.
Even when we pitch and win, we lose —> creates bad dynamics and under values work.
Interesting imagery —-> Think of a practitioner (e.g. doctor; Slow Down Sell Faster reference) versus presenter (e.g. sales person).
You want to be the practitioner; they do not present and they do not audition.
Solution = set rules of engagement.
(Note: You will never be fully rid of the presentation. That is not the goal. The goal is to eliminate our own need to present.)
Rules of engagement:
Strategy First → Agree on strategy before starting work.
Continuous Reference to Strategy → Before delivering work, always reference strategy and tie the work back to that context.
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.
Fewer Options of Better Quality → When giving a client an option, give fewer options of higher quality.
Only We Present Our Work → When our work is shared internally, we require the client to allow us to be there.
Presenting goal = to sway the other party to hire us —> increases buyer resistance.
Conversing goal = to determine if both parties can mutually benefit —> decreases buyer resistance.
Mission: to position myself as the expert practitioner in the mind of the client (Positioning / Trout reference)
Objective: to see if there is a mutually beneficial next step between the client’s need and our expertise.
Proclamation 3: We will diagnose before we prescribe
Each client engagement has four phases:
Diagnose
Take role of doctor: assume client doesn't fully understand the problem (e.g. like doctor)
“You may be correct, but let’s find out for sure”
(Client will push against this; don’t let him/her)
TIP: create formal diagnostic tools to make this easier.
Prescribe
Do not prescribe without a confident diagnosis.
Apply
Reapply as necessary
(Good quote: “A good client will begin to relinquish control once he has the confidence that the expert practitioner knows more than he does, or has the tools to learn more”)
Proclamation 4: We will rethink what it means to sell
Think of a salesperson as “the facilitator of next steps”
Selling = determining a fit between a client’s needs and your service, then facilitating a next step.
Unique thing about consulting —> we sell ideas and advice —> This means we cannot disappear after the sale is made —> the client is stuck with us.
This is why you must embrace the sales role of the “respectful facilitator”.
The client changes over the project.
First, he is unaware of his problem or opportunity.
Second, he is interested in considering the opportunity.
Finally, he is intent on acting on it.
Your role must change at each step.
And you must be patient / play long game
3 steps to sell:
Help the unaware
Educate; don’t sell.
Do this through thought leadership / writings of expertise
Inspire the interested
Inspire interest to solve the problem / don’t sell your service
Do this through examples of past work / website / collateral
Reassure those who have formed intent
This is where the client commits to solving the problem / pursuing the opportunity.
“I’m going to do this”
BUT: This is quickly followed by doubt.
“This won’t work”
Be CALM / not excited
Sooth with logic and consistency using defined processes and frameworks.
Answer all questions (objections) thoughtfully and patiently.
Remember: the client seeks assurance he is not about to make a mistake
Reassure; don’t sell.
Ways to reassure:
Phased engagements
Pilot projects
Money-back guarantees
The psychology of buying = the psychology of changing ⇒ selling = change management.
Best salespeople = help clients see their problems / opps and solve / get them (they are respectful facilitators of change).
Worst sales people = talk clients into things.
4 priorities when “selling”:
Win without pitching (sometimes this is not possible)
Derail the pitch (when you show up late, get the client to put his process aside and take a different approach with you)
Gain the inside track (If #1 and #2 fail, get the client to treat you special)
Walk away (if #1, #2, and #3 fail, you walk away)
Proclamation 5: We will do with words what we used to do with paper
No more written proposals.
We proposal verbally and document via a contract once a decision has been made.
The written proposal is NOT a necessary step in the buying cycle.
Contract = only written document ⇒ public verification of a conversational agreement.
The verbal agreement / proposal conversation should cover:
scope of work
Timeframe
budget
basic terms
The contract may include other boilerplate details.
No = second best answer ⇒ want to hear this as soon as possible to avoid bad use of time.
Avoid overinvestment in the sale ⇒ invite client to say no early and often.
The challenge is selling ROI.
DO NOT: mistake interest for intent.
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.
Remember ⇒ Don’t solve a client’s problem before the agreement is made.
Charge for the diagnosis; just like doctors charge for MRIs and accountants charge for audits.
The outcome of the diagnostic phase is 1) findings (discoveries) and 2) recommendations (plan to move forward with timeline and budget).
Proclamation 6: We will be selective
Pursue perfect fits —> the clients you can best help.
Say no early and often —> weed out those that would be better served by others and those that cannot afford you.
The problem with existing clients is usually one of quality, not quantity —> don’t compensate by adding more.
Focus on few, high quality clients.
Accept that clients will turn over —> this is healthy —> client hire in times of need —> if we do our job, this need reduces.
Selectivity builds credibility, reduces buying resistance, and increases your control; it helps clients:
drop their guard, and
Enter meaningful discussions of fi
Confucius quote: Speak softly and people lean toward you; speak loudly and they lean away.” —> It is human nature to follow what retreats?
Narrower positioning = higher credibility?
Broad positioning = lower credibility?
Retreat-and-follow —> a test of how much the client recognizes and values our expertise.
Lean into potential objections (let the kill early). E.g.
“I’m a little concerned about the ability of an organization of your size has to afford us.”
Bullseye approach —> make expertise claim narrower than the sum of our capabilities.
** —> Generalists are drawn to the problem they have not yet solved. Curiosity drives this.
Proclamation 7: we will build expertise rapidly
See continuous learning / improvement around your expertise.
This allows you to add proof.
Writing is a tool; it helps us clarify our thinking.
Document how you work, so you can reflect on it and improve it.
Proclamation 8: We will not solve problems before we are paid
Thinking = highest value product.
Therefore, don’t think for a client without getting paid.
Focus your brain on paying clients
During sales process —> only collect information to assess the client’s situation to decide if you can help (and do not move past this)
“Free pitching is free thinking”
The client is not fully committed until he has paid —> ask for a deposit up front:
“We’ll get started as soon as we receive the deposit, as is our policy for all new clients.”
Proclamation 9: We will address issues of money early
Don’t overinvest in the buying cycle before addressing the issue of money.
Set a minimum project fee (or “level of engagement)’ and declare it early.
“Those who cannot talk about it, do not make it…”
Stress is caused by the things we do not do.
Don’t be too rigid with the minimum project fee. It’s a tool —> there are time when it should be waived.
Proclamation 10: We will refuse to work at a loss
Don’t consult at a loss —> Make sure you make money on every project.
Do not discount today for the chance to make money tomorrow.
Save discounts the best, long standing clients when they need it.
“Legitimate price negotiations are fair game.” BUT: don’t cut price past the point of profitability.
Before cutting price, try alternatives:
Guarantees → Offer a money-back guarantee
Terms → Allow client to pay over time.
Two rules to discounting:
Use it only as a last resort
Avoid setting a precedent by reminding the client of the true value and documenting it everywhere in contracts, estimates and invoices
Proclamation 11: We will charge more
As your expertise grows, increase your price.
Increase price until you find the ideal money / value exchange.
Do not charge by the hour.
Proclamation 12: We will hold our heads high
Seek respect above money.
Quit bad clients and do not bad mouth them.
"When we express our resentment for the client who does not value us, we are really expressing our self-loathing for not being able to walk away from him."