The Vault

PODCAST

Unbillable Hours

S25Ep1 Building Trust (With Strangers)

Ash and Flo over at the Unbillable Hours Podcast are good friends of The B2B Marketer. They invited our founder over to talk about how B2B consulting firms can turn strangers into clients. 

BOOK

Growth: Building a Successful Consultancy in the Digital Age

In 2022 Professor Joe O'Mahoney, published his book on growing and selling a consulting business. 

It's a great book if growth is your mission, and a future exit is your vision. You should read it all, of course, but you can jump to page 98 to see references to The B2B Marketer's Pyramid of Trust model. 

BOOK

Productise Yourself

Tsavo Neal is an expert web developer focused on professional services firms. Back in 2018 he reached out to expert advisors to the consulting industry.

This makes for a really interesting book. Around 20 different people sharing their expertise.

The book is used as a lead magnet/trip wire so it comes at a cost. But that depends how you frame it. Getting advice from so many people still makes it a bargain in my mind. (and, for clarity, The B2B Marketer doesn't get take any commission from any person or organisation).

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It

If you're running a small business of any kind, you owe it to yourself to read this book - it is essential!

I had the pleasure of seeing Gerber talk when he was in the UK a few years back.  A fascinating individual with bounds of energy despite being in his 80's! (I believe multiple marriages and subsequent divorces kept him needing to work!).

Built to Sell

John Warrillow's books on building a business with the intent to sell make for great reading.  

In this first book Warrillow focuses on how to build a business that can thrive without you - something I've written about before. 

The Automatic Customer

Warrillow realised his first book - Built to Sell - didn't tackle the challenge of creating recurring revenue. Something that's crucial to increasing business value.

In this book he does and there are some important lessons to learn. Some of which influenced my own guide to recurring revenue services in a consultancy.

The Hard Thing About Hard Things

Coming not from the world of consulting, but business building in general, this is one of my all time favourites. When you're going through the struggle of running a business, Ben Horowitz essentially puts his arms around you in this book and lets you know you're not alone! 

Managing the Professional Services Firm

It's an oldie - published nearly 20 years ago - but still one of my favourite books on managing and leading a consulting firm. 

I've ran many a book clubs at consultancies, and this is one of the first I start with, and one of Maister's best. 

Art's Principles: 50 years of hard-learned lessons in building a world-class professional services firm

Art Gensler started his architecture firm and grew it to be the world's largest!

This book covers every aspect of running a professional services firm, and the principles by which Art did so. Well worth a read.

The Irresistible Consultant's Guide to Winning Clients 

This is a great book by David A. Fields, and on which I wrote an in-depth review here.

Permission Marketing

That other bald guy in marketing, Seth Godin, has written a number of great books. This one is fundamental to my marketing model - The Pyramid of Trust. 

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook

Vaynerchuck, or Gary Vee to his loyal followers, is very much a Marmite character now days. But that's not a bad thing as you often need to repel the wrong audience in order to attract the right one!

I don't always agree with what he says, but I certainly do agree with the principles of this book. Again, this book was influential in the development of my marketing approach - The Pyramid of Trust.

Ask.

Contrary to what many people seem to think, Marketing is not about telling people about you and your services. It's about asking them what they need - what their challenges are - and then giving answers. 

Author, Ryan Levesque, gives great advice on how to do just that.

Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen

Miller's company is of the same name as his book, Story Brand. What's important about his approach is how you put your prospects front and centre.  

His information on website homepage layout is very useful as it echoes how you need to predefine your prospects journey.

Finally, what Miller knows is that it's all about the prospect, not you and your firm.

F-cking Good Content

There are few people as unashamedly themselves as Kelsall.

As you can see from the book title, Kelsall doesn't mince his words. if you're easily offended, then look elsewhere. 

If you're not offended, then dive in as this is a brilliant little book.  

Becoming THE Expert 

If you don't want to remain reliant on repeat business and referrals, then you need to become a thought leader. This is the basis of marketing any consulting business.

What Hayes book does it to make it clear that you need to become THE expert in your niche. 

There are some valuable insights in this book. 

Competing on Thought Leadership

Unfortunately, chances are you won't be the first who wants to be a thought leader in your niche. 

In his book, Buday goes right back to beginning of thought leadership through to the current day. 

He explores challenging topics like how to create breakthrough ideas and how to attract the right audiences. 

A good read when you're ready to go deep on thought leadership. 

How Clients Buy

A great book written by Tom McMakin and Doug Fletcher. You can read my in-depth review of this book here. 

Selling to Big Companies

If you're going to grow a successful consulting business, then you really need to be selling to large companies. 

There are challenges, but generally it's a lot easier than selling to small businesses. 

Jill Konrath's book is a great place to start.

Gap Selling

There are few people with as infectious and excitable a personality as Keenan, and it comes through in his writing. 

I actually purchased this one on Audible first, then bought the Kindle version so that I could more easily highlight stuff. It's a really great read. 

Pick up the Damn Phone

Us consultants can be a sensitive bunch, and we sure do hate rejection!

In fact, most of don't even want to market and sell - we just want prospects to come and buy!

Sorry, but life in business just ain't like that. Sometimes you've got to pick up that phone.

Black's book is full of advice to help you get over your inertia.

Cold Calling for Chickens

Bob Etherington's book is another fantastic one to help you overcome reluctance to call people.

Personally, I'm not a proponent of cold calling (in part based on my cold calling experiences). However, there is definitely a place for 'warm calling' and the advice in this book is equally relevant.

Never Split the Difference

A lot of people really don't like the process of selling. Personally, I find it really enjoyable. It's the final step in being able to help someone - to provide your expertise. Along with the challenge of proving your worth to their organisation.

For those who don't like selling it's often due a view of the  process being adversarial. More often the reality is that there's a lack of negotiating skills and ability.

Chris Voss's excellent book will give you skills those negotiation skills in spades.