David recognizes more than a few parallels between his passion for motorcycle racing and the work being done in creative and marketing agencies.

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“What I Learned from the Race Track” by David C. Baker for punctuation.com

Instead of just relying on the talent of individual sales people, Blair recommends creative agencies identify and invest in six elements as a part of their organization’s long-term sales system.

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"Critical Questions Your New Business Person Should Be Able to Answer" 2Bobs episode

"How to Ask for Referrals" 2Bobs episode

"CRM and the Mistakes to Avoid" 2Bobs episode

"Who Should Set Prices?" 2Bobs episode

"Mastering the Value Conversation" 2Bobs episode

Instead of beginning the relationship with a prospective client by presenting a deck on why your agency is so amazing and why you should be invited to pitch, Blair encourages us to have the “Probative Conversation” from his Four Conversations sales model.

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"There Is No Credentials Meeting" article by Blair Enns for WinWithoutPitching.com

"The Four Conversations: A New Model for Selling Expertise" 2Bobs episode

The Four Conversations: A New Model for Selling Expertise book by Blair Enns

When it comes to positioning, David is still seeing creative firms failing to answer three essential questions in the proper sequence: category, specialization, and then secondary differentiators (or qualifying characteristics).

Blair sees high price anchors everywhere—from buying a suit to ordering a burger. So what factors should creative firms keep in mind as they use anchoring in selling their service options? And when is the best time to present the anchor option within the sales conversation?

“Anchor High” by Blair Enns for winwithoutpitching.com

Following up on the recent episode on whether you should be considering that offer to sell your firm, David provides four questions to get answered, two documents to sign, and a short list of materials that can help you take the lead in early conversations with a buyer.

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”Should You Entertain That Acquisition Offer?”

The more unexpected the metaphor, the more information it carries. Blair has four less-obvious metaphors to give you access to entire playbooks in just four words when selling your expertise.

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"The Power of a Metaphor" written by Blair Enns for winwithoutpitching.com