Never Say Sell

CHAPTER 4The Challenge of Knowing Too Much about the Wrong Thing

Andi Baldwin is on Delta's Minneapolis-to-Seattle flight, thinking the only benefit of traveling as much as she does is that she inevitably gets Platinum status every year (frustratingly, not quite to Diamond). Her seatmate leans over just as the plane starts its descent and says, “What takes you to Seattle?”

That's the courtesy, isn't it? Begin the conversation as the wheels are about to go down. If you start the conversation at lift off, then everyone's faced with that awkward moment-of-disengagement just as the chime sounds at 10,000 feet, letting you know you can use your laptop.

“I'm in consulting,” says Andi, stowing her noise-canceling headphones in her bag.

Anyone in consulting knows this fact: Saying you are in consulting is an easy conversation killer. No one knows what consultants do. Andi is a partner at PIE and sometimes she wonders if her closest friends know what she does.

But Andi's seatmate persists. He's downed two Dewar's on ice and his mood is expansive.

“What kind of consulting?”

“My company helps expert services firms drive business development, primarily through sponsored peer-exchange discussions.”

“Oh, so you kind of help consultants build relationships in the c-suite to sell more work. Kind of like a BD wingman?”

“Exactly.” Andi laughs, having heard this analogy before. “How about you?” she says, trying to pivot away from herself. “What do you do?”

“I’m a sales trainer. I contract with ...