Let’s start by looking at the pros and cons of running a LinkedIn Newsletter: - 

• They are free.
• They always reach the inbox.
• LinkedIn invites people to subscribe.
• If you primarily produce content, you can send out a promotional post every now and then.
• It’s easy to invite people to subscribe yourself.
• It builds up a selection of really good quality content you can point people towards when you connect.
• You can use it as a feed into your email newsletter.
• You can’t see who is reading it or clicking on links.
• LinkedIn owns your newsletter – they may withdraw it at any time 

However, LinkedIn newsletters also have a very neat feature that you may find even more useful.

You can have more than one!

In this edition of FTDOMA I show you how to create a second (or first if you don’t have one) LinkedIn newsletter.

The traditional approach to pricing is: -

 Contingent – lowest price

• Exclusive – more expensive than contingent
• Retained – more expensive than exclusive

Now, a full retained search requires a lot of activity for which you will want to be paid.

But exclusive carries much the same effort as contingent, maybe a little more.

However, on average, only 1 in 5 contingent deals end in fees, but the figure is closer to 4 out of 5 for exclusive.

In other words, your hourly rate (number of hours you work on all vacancies divided into fees earned) is considerably greater for contingent.

This means that you can lower the fees for contingent deals, making it even more attractive to buyers.

In this edition of FTDOMA, I follow the argument to its conclusion.

In this edition of FTDOMA, I’m exploring differences when doing delivery... The part you get paid for.
 
I suggest you go into more detail when taking vacancies because hiring managers can become pickier in this market.
 
I also urge you to reinforce with clients that there are never enough good people about, whatever the market.
 
Searching for candidates requires a lot more innovation and perseverance: LinkedIn, job boards and advertising are only part of the picture.
 
Finally, I go deep into a 3D CV. What it is, why it’s important, and what should go on.
 
This market demands a different approach to taking and sourcing requirements. And that’s what this post is all about.

If you don’t write and post according to the LinkedIn algorithm, your post is unlikely to fly.
 
Like it or not, that is the plain fact of the matter.
 
Don’t forget that LinkedIn is probably the most powerful BD and relationship management tool there is.
 
And don’t even start me on how it brings in candidates.
 
But to make it work, you must stick to the rules, and that’s what this post is all about.
 
After you’ve watched it, I expect you’ll be hopping over to the Portal to get a refresher on the rules.
 
At least, that’s what I hope.

We believe that you should build and operate a strategic BD capability within your firm.
 
The stronger this becomes, the more high-value clients you’ll win, and they, in turn, will feed more vacancies into your business.
 
It’s so much more efficient than vacancy scraping.
 
This means you have to do less tactical BD – a win all around then.
 
In this video message, I remind you what you need to do and how you need to think to make strategic BD work effectively for you.
 
Persistence and creativity rule OK!

My old boss used to present a list of his current clients to prospects during a pitch.
 
He’d then say, “I can arrange for you to speak to any of these people. They’ll all vouch that what I’ve just said is true”.
 
Steve Guest used to take a folder of printed testimonials on headed notepaper along to a pitch to get the same effect.
 
Well, in this edition of FTDOMA I’m going to share a modern equivalent of the above.
 
While prospects will decide emotionally whether to use you or not, some need proof that their decision is the right one.
 
This neat little sales trick will tick that box.

Ever worked anywhere where one of the ‘big hitters’ left and suddenly everything got better?
 
People were more motivated and happier, so their productivity increased, too.
 
If so, chances are that person was toxic.

It’s your mission to remove toxic people from every walk of your life.
 
In this edition of FTDOMA, I explain what toxic means, acknowledge that you can’t always get rid of people, and give you a first step you can take.
 
That alone will make you feel better, whether it’s a toxic employee or a toxic client.

I just discovered I can link up my telephone system with my CRM (Hubspot).
 
That means I can make phone calls by clicking a box in Hubspot.
 
It might not sound very much, but since I’ve had it, I’ve doubled my call rate—a 100% increase!
 
This is an example of Tech Malnourishment—not because we don’t have the technology but because we don’t fully use it.
 
I’m also going to give you two dead simple ways to discover how to get more from the tech you already have.
 
Simple, fun, and productive – what’s not to like?

A brand is a shortcut. It means people see something that conjures up a vision they either want to engage with or don't.
 
McDonald's – the golden arches, the fluffy buns and that Gurkin they always add to it.
 
You're either licking your lips now or going "yuk, I'd rather not".
 
That is the power of a brand. But you aren't McDonald's, and neither are you Apple, Mercedes, Disney, or any other big brands.
 
So, what does a brand mean to you, and how can you build one and make it work for you?
 
That's what I explain in this video.

Over the years, I’ve discovered a few things I’m good at but take for granted.
 
It always surprises me when I discover that others find these things hard or even impossible to do.
 
These are my business superpowers, and the good thing is that WE ALL HAVE THEM.
 
But we often don’t recognise them as superpowers and don’t capitalise on them.
 
In other words, we’re not making the most of our personal assets.
 
In this episode of FTDOMA, I will explore this topic further and explain how you can discover yours.
 
Don’t let perhaps your biggest asset go under-utilised, and no, you don’t have to wear tights and a cape (unless you want to).