How do I get my MDs to win more work?
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Tell them to try harder
Rising Star
You do better job when your MD got you the small phase 0 project, you do so well that client extends you for phase 1 and then phase 2.
Rising Star
Sm2- you know thats not true. You cannot say that you don’t get on projects in whole year and company is paying you to sit on the bench. Come on, I know it’s anonymous but you still have some self respect.
You help them with proposals and contracts
If you are getting in the room and then losing, you need to figure out why. The MD needs to go ask someone for honest feedback.
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Hit them with a “pls call my mobile” text. Then explain that they are not meeting expectations for someone in their role at the firm.
Impossible to answer this question without knowing what industries you serve. But I can high level: First start with your target personas (ideally 1 for each MD to focus on, 3 is healthy when optimized, +5 is way too many).. and then build out your strategy from there. People all too often, when doing marketing & sales, forget to speak to the customer’s needs and instead focus on their solution before even knowing the customer. With consulting, it’s vital that you develop a personal relationship with your clients.
It sounds like you want them to "hunt" new accounts rather than "farm" follow-on work. This is much harder.
Try to diagnose which part of their sales process is their weakness.
- Do they maintain a large enough contact list and are they regularly (quarterly at least) keeping in touch through meetings/messages?
- Are they able to identify opportunities from their conversations that match your company's offerings? Are they creative about designing new offerings?
- Can they correctly identify the buyer and focus on getting through to them?
- When they identify opportunities, do they truly believe it's best for the client, or are they just interested in their own personal / company benefit? Does their framing inspire the client or does it just feel like a sale?
- Do they understand the triggers for a client wanting to buy? Often, this is misunderstood to be a logical trigger, but more often it is about emotional or political triggers
- Are they able to write proposals with clear deliverables, plans, resourcing and costs?
Tell them that’s why you didn’t make partner in the firm!
Pro
Have you tried actually building relationships with clients? Offering small sample projects? Or just blame the MDs?
Pro
It’s not clear what your role is. I assumed you were a Partner and your Managing Directors (MDs) are subordinate to you. So your role then would be to coach them and be tip of the spear on sales. If you are not a Partner, but like a lower level consultant, then your question is even more confusing. Please clarify.
Rising Star
Assume it’s their inability to execute
Rub them
Rising Star
Ok JPM
Who wants to consult ?
You ask to shadow them in commercial activities, propose improvements and develop points of view + a network of your own. Selling is a group sport.
Keep them wastered, fed and 😮💨
Creep