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Business Development

Proposal With Assumptive Close
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We met a potential corporate client through a referral, which is where most of our business begins. Sharon, the potential client, had used a national competitor before and was only marginally happy with the results.

When I met with her, and in these personal-sounding e-mails, I emphasized our personal, hands-on approach. Most of my letters and e-mails to prospective clients carry an "assumptive close," meaning we assume we've got the business and are communicating to arrange final details. These e-mails delivered the account.


From: William S. Frank [mailto:wsfrank@careerlab.com]
Sent: February 21, 20— 8:44 AM
To: Sharon Ruiz
Subject: Networking and Counseling Sessions  

Hi Sharon,

I enjoyed meeting you yesterday. You seem very compassionate and caring. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.

As a recap, we decided to offer each of your 12 departing employees two hours of face-to-face consulting, plus two networking sessions. The purpose of the networking meetings is to acquaint them with the Denver market and local job-hunting resources. The fee for
these services is $5500.

We'd like to schedule the first networking meeting on March 2nd, from 9:00-12:00, and the second meeting on March 16, from 9:00-12:00. How does this sound to you?

Will you notify the candidates that this program is available, or how should we proceed? It would help us to have a list of those who qualify for the program, along with phone numbers
and e-mail addresses, and job titles, if possible.

Let's talk soon,

:Bill

From: Ruiz, Sharon [mailto:Sharon_Ruiz@company.com]
Sent: February 21, 20— 12:05 PM
To: 'wsfrank@careerlab.com'
Subject: RE: Networking and Counseling Sessions  

Hello Bill—
Thanks for the info and confirming our conversation!  It was a pleasure to meet you as well.  I've shared our ideas with Mark M. and Cathy B.(our Human Resources Director in Cleveland).
Both were extremely pleased with your solution! 

I will put together some info for Mark's team to distribute to the affected staff.  They hope to be able to reach most via email but anticipate sending a mailer as well.

Would you be able to provide some additional verbiage regarding the 1/2 day sessions? Just looking to capture all the content so the get the gist of the day.

Thanks so much, Bill!  We'll pull together a list of those potentially utilizing the additional services.

Sharon

From: William S. Frank [wsfrank@careerlab.com]
Sent: February 21, 20— 3:40 PM
To: Ruiz, Sharon
Subject: Agenda of Networking Sessions  

Sharon,

Here is a brief description of the networking meetings.
Is this what you were looking for?
Many thanks,
:Bill

 "Colorado Career Resources" 

The first session (March 2) will explain the resources and answer questions about networking and job hunting. The follow-up session (March 16) will allow participants to compare notes, suggest new resources, and share war stories. Attendees will take away written handouts on all topics.

These meetings are focused on Colorado career resources.  So everything discussed has a local focus. Here are some of the topics to be discussed:

  • Library Resources 
  • Directories (Lists of Employers) 
  • List of Colorado Recruiters 
  • Professional Organizations 
  • Business Meetings 
  • Job Hunting Websites 
  • Job Clubs 
  • Networking Meetings 
  • Late-breaking Business News 
  • Tour of CareerLab's Job-hunting Website 
  • Employers to Avoid  
This will be a lively, motivational exchange. Participants will leave well-informed and excited about their career possibilities.  

:Bill

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William S. Frank, M.A., President/CEO
25 Reasons I love consulting.
by William S. Frank
  1. Brand. You are your own brand, and you can define it any way you want. For many years, I provided outplacement to the ex-employees of Schlumberger, the world's largest oilfield service corporation. When departing employees left the company, they didn't request outplacement in their severance package. They said, "I want Bill Frank."
  2. Demand. The world will always be full of terrible problems that need solving.
  3. White Hat. I can be a helper and get paid for it.
  4. Pay. I can be paid to do things I'd gladly do for nothing.
  5. Variety. Every day is different.
  6. Happiness. At this stage of my career, I only work for people I respect and care about. If a client micromanages me or is otherwise no fun, I complete the assignment and replace them.
  7. Talent. I'm using 110% of my talents and stretching myself to the max.
  8. Change. I can change my focus any day I want. If you're a McDonald's franchisee, you don't say, "Hey, I've got this great idea for a meatball sandwich—let's try it out today." In consulting you can adjust your focus hour-by-hour, as long as your clients still understand and appreciate what you do.
  9. Income. No one else would pay me as much as I pay myself.
  10. FUN. I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing.
  11. Retirement. I can write and consult as long as I am physically and mentally capable. Peter Drucker worked into his 90s, and when asked which book was his best, he said: "My next one."
  12. Job Security. Although clients come and go, no one can come into my office and say, "Pack up your stuff . . . You don't work here anymore." In 29 years, I've only had one employer: ME.
  13. Travel. I don't have to travel unless I decide to. I travel if it's both FUN and profitable—or at least FUN.
  14. Commute. I live five minutes from my office, a corner office in an upscale six-story tower. In winter, I leave a heated garage at home and drive to an underground heated garage at work. There's seldom time to hear even one song on the radio.
  15. Vacation. Consulting is more fun than vacation (except on Wailea Beach in Maui).
  16. Friends. I have developed hundreds of close acquaintances and several lifetime friends.
  17. Time. I can work as much or as little as I like: four-hour days or 18-hour days. (Of course, my income will reflect that.)
  18. Employees. I can work with employees, subcontractors, partners, or alone—I've done it all.
  19. Passive Income. I've developed several products that provide "mailbox money." I earn while I'm sleeping.
  20. Ethics. I've never had to violate my values or personal code of ethics. I've never had to lie, purposely deceive or harm others, or promise things I can't deliver. I go to bed with a clear conscience. That doesn't mean there's never any conflict. But the conflict is conducted according to generally accepted business practices.
  21. Virtual. My career is fairly portable. With the Internet, e-mail, cell phone, and FedEx, I can work nationally, even internationally from my office—or anywhere in the world.
  22. Purpose. I make a difference in peoples' lives every day. I see it in their faces, hear it in their voices, and read it in their thank-yous.
  23. Experience. Every painful or joyful life experience makes me a better consultant. So does every person I meet or book I read. Grey hair can be good in consulting.
  24. Structure. I have to work very hard, and the clients expect superb results—but I get to structure my days, weeks, months, and years.
  25. Boss. Most of the time, I love my boss.
As I was posting these letters online, I realized I want to communicate my love for consulting. It's just a great business. The single letters, taken together, may create a picture of enjoyment, but in a burst of creativity I listed some of the reasons consulting is such a good fit for me—and perhaps for you, too. They are not prioritized; this is just how they came out.