It Starts With Clients

Week 2 Get Recognized

In the 2006 Oscar-winning movie Little Miss Sunshine, Greg Kinnear plays Richard, an aspiring motivational speaker and author. It's a wonderful, funny movie that also stars comedian Steve Carell. In a side plot, Richard has developed a program for personal success based on nine steps. He's run out of money, however, to support his family. His financial salvation rests on publishing a book about his success formula.

Stan Grossman, Richard's literary agent, has promised to get Richard a large advance on the book. But suddenly, he stops returning his calls. Desperate, Richard crashes a publishing conference Stan is attending and confronts him next to the swimming pool. When Richard realizes he has no book deal, he angrily shouts, “But it's a great program!” And Stan replies, “It's not the program. It's you. No one has heard of you. Nobody cares.” Richard's dreams are crushed.

It's just a movie, but that scene is very real. You need to be recognized for something in order to attract relationships and business, whether it's to get a book deal or win new clients. Sure, if you represent a well-known company, it's much easier to get in the door—the first time. But your firm's brand alone, although valuable, is not sufficient to make you truly successful. It can get you the first meeting, and it will secure invitations to competitive bids. But it's your own brand—your ...