What To Do With Business Cards You Collect

Open up a drawer and throw them in. Everybody knows that’s not what you should be doing with business cards you receive. Yet, I’ve done it. And I’m not alone. The more events you go to, the more cards you’ll collect. And having to deal with all those business cards can seem like an albatross […]

What I’ve Learned From Using Zurmo As My CRM

A few months ago, I wrote a post that has become the most viewed page on HelpEverybodyEveryday.com. The article was called,“The Best FREE CRM For A/E/C Firms Is Here.” It was about a new CRM called Zurmo. Since then, I’ve gone “full boar” with Zurmo as my CRM, I’ve modified the heck out of it, […]

The Networking Mistake That Causes Distrust. Are You Making It?

I see it all the time. People go to networking events and immediately give people a reason to distrust them. And worst of all, they have no idea they are doing it. So, I’m going to explain what this mistake is and give you an easy way to avoid it. But first, let me tell […]

The Best FREE CRM For A/E/C Firms Is Here

It’s been a while since I gave you something that was truly, mind numbingly, awesome! OK, FancyHands was close…but you had to pay for that. But what I have for you today takes the cake. Let me explain… CRM…Urggg! CRM is obviously a huge frustration in our industry. A few years ago, I even got […]

Network Like An Introvert

As promised, I just sent out a free excerpt of Tim Klabunde’s book, Network Like An Introvert, to my entire subscriber list. Let me tell you a little about this book and the person behind it. I met Tim in 2008 and learned about his unique approach to networking shortly after. So, for the last […]

Dear Client: Do You Intend To Hire Us?

In the world of business development, little tweaks in your approach can really go a long way. Actually, I like to refer to them as hacks. Here’s one that will help you close the deal! Over at Neuromarketing, they posted about the power of asking the client to give a prediction on whether they’ll hire […]

Become a YOUtility

Jay Baer perfectly defined a concept  you’ve heard from many people including me, Ford Harding, Tim Klabunde, Mel Lester, Mark Buckshon, etc. You succeed in business development by becoming a YOUtility. I think the term nails the concept (no pun intended). I’ve always found it a little hard to explain, especially to technical folks. The […]

The Secret To Starting Great Conversations At Networking Events

One industry professional that continuously impresses me is Tim Klabunde. Granted, I haven’t used Adobe After Effects in many years. But I remember looking at it and thinking, “I certainly don’t have time to learn this!” But I guess somewhere between transitioning to his new role as Principal of Structural Engineering Group and running DCN, […]

Is Your Firm Stealing Your Rolodex?

I have a question for you. I never understood people who hesitate to share info on their contacts with their firm. The way I see it is there is nobody in my address book whose address and phone number can’t be bought. With sites like Jigsaw.com, association directories, and businesses who sell lists of industry […]

How To End Conversations With Potential Clients

  I hate when people end conversations with potential clients like this: “Here’s my card. If you need anything, I would be happy to help.” Why is that bad? First, you are basically saying that you are available for them to hire. So, it’s about you. Second, you’ve given them absolutely no reason to call […]