Lawyer Monthly Magazine - February 2019 Edition

58 Professional Excellence www. lawyer-monthly .com FEB 2019 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES The art of selling has since changed from the traditional ‘door to door’ charm and charisma. Thanks to the Internet constantly being at our fingertips and the up rise of online browsing, potential clients and customers are already well versed in what they are looking for; and in some cases, they may ap- proach you before you even know anything about them or their needs. We speak to Nitin Kumar, who has extensive experience in professional ser- vices and widely considered a rainmaker; he is also part of Silicon Valley’s “Magnificent Four”, the most well connected and networked individuals in the Hi-tech sector. Outside his vast and deep network, Nitin also understands insight-based selling and shares his observations and winning methods. As a global operating executive and management consultant with 20 plus of leadership experience, Nitin speaks about how the sales process has changed, and how business leaders, including independent law firms need to adapt, in order to win clients. Attracting Clients in the New Age: A Rainmaker’s Insights to Selling In today’s world, buyers have a vast amount of information and an array of choice about products services and brands, which results in the sales cycle beginning before you have even engaged with them. At times, this information gives them the confidence to get a head start on decision making, yet in some cases, the overload of information can confuse them. Buyers and clients still need people to liaise ideas with, help them think through problems and solutions, but many professional services firms e.g., law firms (and practices within firms) have struggled to adapt to the new age of insightful sales; only a select few are getting it right and thus winning. “We can no longer process 50 slide deck proposals with messages anymore, please share insights in a succinct manner so that we can get the point quickly“ –SVP of Strategy, Silicon Valley Company If you can communicate clearly, but aren’t saying anything insightful, the transaction is empty and is not likely to gain traction and results. Clients want the professionals they hire to partner with them