"Winning New Business"

by Richard Denny (Kogan Page 2007)

This is a book written by a trainer for an indeterminate class, not a targeted personal tutorial. “Winning New Business” panders to the fear of rejection which underlies most individuals' attitude to selling and even ends with a poem “Failure Isn’t Fatal”. Much of the book is about self-management, not winning business. One of the few references in “Winning New Business” is to Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” which remains a best seller. Personal insecurity is endemic to us all!

“Winning New Business” has thirteen chapters which cover the eight following relevant topics:-

• The Quick Wins

• Making a winning presentation

• How to meet decision makers

• How to win when you’re not the cheapest

• How your customers will become your ambassadors

• How to make an appointment

• How to beat the competition

• Providing excellent customer care

Although much of the advice given is not new to experienced executives, the book is aimed at “non-sales people” primarily and covers the agenda fully. There are nuggets of gold to be mined by all readers, which include:-

• Be “pully” not “pushy” – give the initiative to the prospective client

• Offer a money-back guarantee (take the perception of risk away from the prospect client)

• “Walk a mile in my shoes” (think of the proposal from the client’s standpoint)

• Study body language (there are 750,000 indicators; focus on key ones eg pupil dilation)

• Never negotiate across a table; sit obliquely (less threatening)

• Body language is 93% of communication – forget the words!

• A website is essential to attract attention

• PR is a key multiplier eg by creating press releases to send to clients

• Focus on benefits to the client. (Chairs “make people comfortable in their homes”)

• Try to get client to visit you (implies greater commitment)

• Try to turn needs into wants (individuals are committed to wants, not needs)

• The listening/talking ratio should be 2:1 (2 ears, 1 mouth)

• Deliver proposals in person and offer to discuss them to ensure suitability

• “No” can mean “later” (it may take several years, but persist)

• Build long term relationships (“No, not now” can start the process)

• Presentations should start with deliverables, then price, before detail and guarantee

• 25% buy the cheapest; 4% the most expensive. 71% seek “value for money” (their value)

• Customer care should deliver service beyond expectation

• Welcome complaints, they can generate new business if well handled

These “nuggets” may be synthesised into building a long term, personal relationship with a balance of benefits and mutual trust. The key chapters focus on how to start this, by targeting, researching, approaching prospects and winning a meeting with the decision maker. It is probably his/her personal agenda which makes “Winning New Business” possible.

This is a frustrating book and the author breaks one of his own rules by pushing his own products. “Winning New Business” is not a convincing book, but some of its messages may have more impact in a training context.

Adrian Davies

31st December 2007