TZL 1439 (web)

9

O P I N I O N

Conversion van

Improve your win rate by listening to what your clients say they want, instead of pushing the services you want to sell the most.

G rowth, scaling, and optimization within organizations is a process that requires strategic planning, deliberate execution, and buy-in from all levels of the org chart. Skipping steps, failing to include the right people, or failing to exclude the wrong people, can create chaos and waste valuable resources, both internal and external. Active scaling involves coordination of resources, which is a very broad term that encompasses both the tangible and intangible. The ultimate goal is to create a successful environment in which people, skill sets, external relationships with stakeholders and clients, financial resources, and company resources are aligned to capitalize on the economic conditions and market need.

Stephanie Warino, P.G., WV LRS, PMP

So what does this have to do with a conversion van? Active scaling is all about getting everyone in your organization to understand their unique role and how crucial it is to growing the business. And that is all about putting the right people in the right position. If you recall the movie Napoleon Dynamite , you might remember that Kip, Napoleon’s brother, joins Uncle Rico in his ill-fated business venture selling plastic storage containers throughout southeastern Idaho. Kip then proceeds to take a perfectly good sales opportunity, place it under the back wheel of Uncle Rico’s orange conversion van, and shatter it to pieces. He finishes up his sales call by moaning and driving away.

Silly analogy? Yes. Does this happen every day in AEC? Yes. Just as an example, we all know people who approach every single proposal and every single project in exactly the same way, every time. Their proposals have exactly the same language and scope elements for every single client, regardless of what the client has stated about their needs. But by changing the way you approach proposals and scope elements, there are efficiencies to be gained for both you and for your clients. For you, that efficiency nets your firm the client’s trust and repeat business, and for the client, that efficiency helps them on total

See STEPHANIE WARINO, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER MAY 2, 2022, ISSUE 1439

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