Prospecting

102708 Puzzler Solution

Last week’s Puzzler began:   A partner at a “white shoe” New York investment bank (now out of business due to the recent financial unpleasantness) was preparing his deal team for a dinner meeting with a client’s executive team, all men, 50-ish years old. The team was working on its first transaction for the client. … Read more »

102008 Puzzler

In which we’re challenged to recommend a strategy for an X-treme prospecting game. A partner at a “white shoe” New York investment bank (now out of business due to the recent financial unpleasantness) was preparing his deal team for a dinner meeting Read more »

091508 Tailored Approach

In which we learn to open communications with prospects using something THEY are interested in. So, my first child is at college now. First year. Good news and bad news. I haven’t heard from him much. He doesn’t return my phone calls. Doesn’t reply to my text messages. Doesn’t write back when I email him. … Read more »

090808 Finding Your Fit

In which we are reminded that not every prospect is worth our full attention. When I heard Al Hirt (jazz trumpet player popular in the 1950s and 1960s) play the song, "I Can’t Get Started," as a 10 year old, I fell in love with that song and the horn. Read more »

090108 How Quickly We Forget

In which we are reminded to mind our prospects and clients why they wanted to talk to us in the first place. Remember the line, "When you’re up to your a** in alligators, it’s easy to forget the objective was to drain the swamp"? Early one morning last week, I began reading a proposal we … Read more »

082508 Main Gates

In which we consider approach prospects from side entrances rather than the main gates. My daughter and twenty three of her well behaved teenaged friends accompanied by two normal-looking middle-aged, female adult chaperones approached the main entrance of a well known, high end department store. Read more »

081808 Now It’s Garbage

In which we urge quality over volume in prospecting approaches. In the 1968 movie, "The Odd Couple," Walter Mathau plays Oscar, a slovenly sportswriter, and Jack Lemmon plays Felix, his neurotic, obsessive compulsive friend who moves in with Oscar after Felix’s divorce. The two don’t fit well together, Read more »

Attraction

I’m standing in the low ceilinged, dimly lit, stuffy-aired classroom of a driving school — a company owned by brave souls who make a living teaching 16year olds to drive dangerous objects. My daughter is taking her road test with a State Police officer, her last step before qualifying for her license. I’m waiting, idly … Read more »

Ten Seconds

The phone rang. I was in the middle of a conversation. I hesitated. I picked it up. “Hello,” I said. “Nick Miller.” Read more »

Pulling The Trigger

I first met the woman who is now my wife on the red leather back seat of a white Cadillac Eldorado at Logan Airport in Boston. Blind date. Read more »

Navigation Menu