The document provides guidance on developing and leveraging a center of influence for business development purposes. It discusses identifying key clients and influencers, conducting research on their connections and challenges, scheduling meetings to understand how they view your relationship and value, asking for introductions to expand your network, following up, adding value, and making lives better to strengthen relationships over time. The goal is to recognize existing clients as potential referral sources to new prospects and continuously deepen your understanding of clients to better serve their needs and retain their business.

1. As you listen think of 1-2 key concepts for ideas you can take away from what you
learned – this will create an immediate impact and reinforce new prospecting habits.
If you just listen and don’t do something with it, that’s entertraining, not looking for
real change. Think of 1 new tactic, practice it, then come back for more!
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2. Top producers practice 3 core principles in their day to day activity.
They recognize Zig Zigler was right when he said ‘you can get
anything you want in the world if you help enough other people get
what they want’.
They work smart, not hard, and focus on a few key relationships
that create substantial impact in their business.
And finally, they know that most people just don’t bother to follow
up. They do and don’t let the details slip – this immediately
differentiates them from the majority of sales people.
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3. When you examine your center of influence you have to compare
perception to reality – your perception to your client’s reality.
To do this you will inter view your clients to find gaps, services you need
to offer, gain introductions to potential partners, improve your client
retention and grow your sales!
You will also discover what most of us face – we must have key
influencers to reach our prospects, not lovely people! It’s not a fun time
activity – if it doesn’t lead to business the relationship belongs at happy
hour, not in your prospecting effort!
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4. Influence is defined and used in one of 2 ways, either as a noun or verb. The first
question to ask in reference to referral partners is whether it needs to be used in
one form or fashion over another for your prospecting effort to be successful.
Many people of influence are unable or unwilling to use their influence on the behalf
of others. They may also struggle with how to use it for themselves. You need to
discover potential partners who are comfortable with using influence as well as
having it.
Your best partners recognize how they can impact your sales cycle and you theirs.
The goal is to find partners who will move or sway the prospect to work with you
over staying where they are.
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5. Your Center of Influence is an asset you need to track, so step back and take a look
at what it really is and conduct a SWOT analysis
Know where your strengths lie,
What weaknesses can you identify resources to fill.
What opportunities do you need to leverage to better retain your key accounts and
find new business.
What threats from competitors or your own skill set do you need to immediately
address
Remember your best client is someone else’s best prospect!
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6. First step in your analysis is what do you influence and what do you need to
influence
Has your decision making process changed?
Are there new key influencers impacting your sale?
Do you reach all stakeholders?
Do you sell ‘down’ or ‘up’ the stairway of influence?
Identify the highest relationships you can reach in your best clients and become
their ‘go to’ resource to fill their needs.
This is how you begin that process
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7. Ask yourself – how often are you contacted for help?
If the answer is B or C you are viewed as a vendor by your clients and not a Trusted Advisor.
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8. Look at your key accounts – A & B only.
A – very profitable, you have a lot of the opportunities in the account, they call you with
issues, love your service, take your advice and are cool people to work with.
B – typical accounts , good cash flow, easy sale cycle, profitable, you can probably grow the
account to an A with more cross selling – but it’s good $
C- marginally profitable, needy.
D – unprofitable, don’t appreciate you, pain in the you know what – they are on the list to
be fired.
With you’re a and B accounts understand what departments do you infleunce
Example – Sales, Finance, HR, Sales, Operations, Etc
What people do you influence?
Example – Owner, HR director, Marketing director, Sales, Etc.
Challenges – their challenges they face in growing and doing busienss.
Example – Attracting and retaining good people, looking different than competition,
reducing costs, growing sales, etc.
Look at this exercise and then conduct your Chief Executive Semi- Annual Review
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9. Meet with the Chief Executive of you’re a & B accounts
Review what they came to you to solve, did you do so, what else
have you accomplished outside of their expectations, and what did
they wish you could solve.
Ask who they go to for advice on topics similar to yours – people,
process, financial, etc.
Ask who do they know who would benefit from the level of service
they have received from you.
Ask specifically for an introduction to a center of influence
relationship you have identified they know.
Remember a Cof I represents multiple clients wrapped up in 1
relationship – they are equal to your a accounts and in some cases
exceed their value.
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10. Prepare for your meeting with your top decision maker.
Use Google Alerts to get notices of articles, press releases, lawsuits, anything that
mentions your clients
Join industry associations that your top client belongs to – in some cases this will
give you access to other clients that look like you’re A & B account.
Discover at least 1 way you can add value to your relationship with your client
outside of your service area.
Do not ask the world’s Lamest Sales Question – What’s keeping you up at night?
You need to know at least one thing that is causing them to lose sleep based on
what you find. If not, keep digging.
Interview vendors and their clients also for this insight.
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11. Remember to research your clients connections through Linked In prior to meeting
with them. If you haven’t connected to them yet on LI, you’d better. Remember
‘Your best clients are someone else’s best prospects’!
The more specific you are with your ask for an introduction – Name of who you want
to meet, why you want to meet them, and how you will make your referral source
i.e. client look good for introducing you, the better your chances are for an
introduction.
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12. Are you getting the emphasis that your best clients are someone else’s best prospects?
In business development we live in the world we can sell and sell and sell some more, but if
we don’t’ retain our clients we will end up with less than when we started.
If you are thinking you are solid in with your best clients and nothing could get you out of
their – you’re naïve and lazy. And you will lose them.
You must add value to the relationship above and beyond their expectations. It’s not
enough to be completely satisfied. If that’s all they are, you are not doing your job.
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13. Now what?
Organize your clients into A & B categories, look at what departments you influence,, what
people do you impact, and what challenges do they face.
Schedule your client meeting to explore how they view you. That is your Center of
Influence –where it counts.
Identify key influencers you would like to add to your C of I.
Ask for an introduction by your client.
Follow up
Send thank you not for their effort
Add Value
Make their lives better.
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14. For more information on how to build a powerful Center of Influence. Go to
www.productiveprospecting.com to register.
We will meet for 3 separate sessions to walk you through step by step building
and growing your center of influence. The cost of this series is only $149 for this
introductory offer.
If you would benefit from structure, support and accountability to grow your center of
influence, sign up now!
We will look forward to seeing you and hearing of Good Selling!
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15. Thank you for your time, attention and contribution.
Have a Great day and Good Selling!
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