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	<title>True Colors Consulting</title>
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	<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com</link>
	<description>Home of Mark Slatin&#039;s Trust Centered Selling</description>
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		<title>Best Tips from THE VAULT &#8211; Free eBook!</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=1157</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=1157#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:31:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[

Ho, Ho, Ho
Iin the spirit of the &#8220;Best of &#8230;&#8221; honors now upon us as we say goodbye to 2009, I&#8217;ve put together a compendium of my favorite posts from the year in this eBook, Best Tips from THE VAULT. 


 
It&#8217;s packed with great ideas to jump start 2010 and I&#8217;ve even included some [...]]]></description>
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		<title>1/8/10 &#8211; 2/5/10 Trust Centered Selling Webinar Course</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=271</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=271#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Seminars and Workshops]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=271</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Webinar Course



Trust Centered Selling™ Program
Business Development through Trusting Relationships (5 Weeks)


    

Are your sales sluggish?
Relationships drive business growth. 

#1 Reason for Failed Sales
According to a recent study by Miller Heiman, lack of trust is #1 reason for failed sales, more than the next four reasons combined.
The Trust Centered Selling™ Program is a [...]]]></description>
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		<title>11/16 &#8211; 12/8 Business Learning Institute Webcast &#8211; Growing Your Business through Trusting Relationships</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=744</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=744#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:05:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Seminars and Workshops]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=744</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Business Learning Institute presents a webcast! Growing Your Business Through Trusted Relationships:

REGISTRATION STATUS: OPEN




Date:
Monday, November 16, 2009


Time:
12:00pm &#8211; 1:00pm  (Eastern Time)


Facility:
Online Webcast, Internet


CPE Credit:
1 Communications


Course Type:
Webcast


Provider:
Business Learning Institute


Instructor:
 Mark Slatin 


Field of Study:
Communications


Level of Knowledge:
Basic


Fees:
$59 MACPA Members, $75 Non-Members


Reciprocal Discount
($16)




 

* * * IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT * * *
 Watch Mark [...]]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Networking: Avoid the Four Biggest Mistakes</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=853</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=853#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:17:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=853</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Networking, at least the face-to-face variety, creates anxiety.
You know &#8211; the Chamber power networking breakfast, the industry trade show cocktail party, or the association dinner.
After you sketch your John Doe on the name tag label with a big fat Sharpie, you slap it on your blazer knowing full well it will peel off before you [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>The Power of Authenticity in Trust Building: Krista’s Story</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=818</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=818#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:02:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[authenticity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[krista ronai]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[us naval acadamy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=818</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
“Always look polished.”  “Never admit a weakness.”  “Spin to get the deal.”
Have you ever heard a “sales thought leader” pontificate along these lines.  I have.
It doesn’t work.  Because saying what sounds good instead of saying what’s so…breaks down trust.
It’s inauthentic.
And authenticity and trust are inseparable.
This is a personal story about Krista Ronai, a personal friend [...]]]></description>
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		<title>12-4-09 Women in Financial Services presents: Growing Your Business Through Trusted Relationships</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=846</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=846#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:36:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Seminars and Workshops]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=846</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Growing Your Business Through Trusted Relationships 
REGISTRATION STATUS: OPEN




Date:
Friday, December 04, 2009


Time:
1:00pm  &#8211; 5:00pm  (Registration at 12:30pm)


Facility:
Wealth Advocacy Partners, Sparks


CPE Credit:
4 Communications


Course Type:
Seminars


Provider:
Business Learning Institute


Instructor:
 Mark Slatin 


Field of Study:
Communications


Level of Knowledge:
Basic


Fees:
$175 MACPA Members, $175 Non-Members




 

* * * IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT * * *
 Watch Mark in Action in this [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Scattered Thoughts?  Try Idea Mapping</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=768</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=768#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:12:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=768</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[

Jamie Nast&#8217;s new book Idea Mapping caught my attention at the Columbia, MD Borders Bookstore.  Introduced to mind mapping in grad school, I drifted away from using it as a tool to brainstorm and take notes.  The subtitle hooked me on a second try, &#8220;Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>True Colors, Trusted Advisor Associates Partner to Deliver Consulting, Training based on Trust</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=733</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=733#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:04:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Company News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=733</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By True Colors Consulting LLC
Dated: Oct 06, 2009
True Colors and Trusted Advisor Associates announced today that True Colors has become a licensee of Trusted Advisor Associates to offer TAA programs.
BALTIMORE – True Colors Consulting and Trusted Advisor Associates announced today that True Colors has become a licensee of Trusted Advisor Associates to offer TAA programs.
Click [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>A Key Differentiator: Be Willing to Ditch Your Agenda</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=698</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=698#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:30:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jill Konrath]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[law firms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Presentations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[selling]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=698</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Jill Konrath is about to release a book about how to use social media to grow sales in a corporate environment.  She's asking for KEY DIFFERENTIATORS in the form of a story.  Why, when down to the point of a decision, would a buyer choose you?

That triggered a memory of this story from when our team at the Boise Cascade Corporation faced a moment of truth.
Game Day

It was 5:00 pm and our team was 5th out of 5 presenters on the short list for a national law firm that decided to consolidate all their purchases with one supplier to leverage their spend.

We did our research, prepared our slide deck, rehearsed three times, and ordered gourmet delicacies for the big event. We knew the "committee" would be bleary-eyed after flying into DC, sleeping in a hotel, and listening to eight hours of presentations before ours.

Decision-makers from eight cities were in attendance, forming the committee that would award a $5M contract as the lucky prize.
Before the First "Pitch"

Instead of "pitching" our stuff, we started by acknowledging the parade of presentations in what must have felt like a marathon to them.

Then we asked if anyone had time constraints or other concerns that should be addressed before we began.

A woman on the committee whom we'll call "Lois" piped in, "We were just talking before ya'll got here about how I'm going to miss most of your presentation because I have a flight to catch back to Dallas...I've got 20 minutes."
Ditching Our Agenda

Then we did something that the others (we found out later) were unwilling to do - we deviated from our agenda.   We said, "WOW thanks for letting us know Lois!  Why don't we start with your issues or concerns first?"

Our contact at the firm had shared that the Dallas office had family ties to their local supplier.  They (Dallas) were a potential hold out.  We knew we needed to understand Lois' concerns and adequately address them or we could risk a split decision.  If that happened, the entire deal could have crumbled.

We spent the next 20 minutes answering some really difficult questions posed by Lois who turned out to be... the tie-breaker in a pivotal decision that fortunately went our way.
The Debrief

Our contact shed some light on the competition, "The other guys all pretty much sounded the same, but you guys were willing to listen.  It was obvious you changed your plans for us in order to address Lois' needs."

The willingness to put our client's agenda ahead of our own, even though it interrupted our plans, was counter-intuitive and bucked conventional wisdom.  On the other hand, it was THE key differentiator.]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seven Steps to An Effective Client Nurturing Plan</title>
		<link>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=338</link>
		<comments>http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=338#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:53:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Seminars and Workshops]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.truecolorsconsulting.com/?p=338</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Journal of Accountancy reported in their annual survey that marketing and practice growth appeared in the top five issues list for the first time since 2005, across all five of the firm sizes surveyed.  My guess – it extends well beyond the accounting world.
Let’s face it; survival mode prompts difficult client decisions that include [...]]]></description>
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