Comments on: Guru12: The Top 12 Gurus of Professional Services

By: Ian

Ian — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:18:22 +0000

Yes and no Jon.

The list is for gurus in the field of professional services sales and marketing generally. Not just big firms – and not just independents.

If you look at the work Ford Harding has done, for example – particularly his book Rainmaking – that’s fully applicable to independents. And Alan Weiss is completely focused on independent consultants – he’s by far the leader in the field, you really should look up his work.

In terms of the others – they all bring a different perspective. Suzanne Lowe focuses on integration between sales and marketing, Charlie Green focuses on trust. Richard Chaplin personally facilitates and brings together leaders of professional firms.

So I tried to bring together people who are quite different from each other.

Whereas (in my view), Michael Port and CJ Hayden – while I think their work is excellent – are very similar to Robert Middleton in that their main work is a self contained system for marketing and selling for independent professionals.

Ian

By: Jon Orana

Jon Orana — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:23:09 +0000

I keep on coming back on this post probably because I’m targeting the same market.

In my quick research, I can see that most of them serves service professionals in the firm and not really independent. With exception of robert middleton.

Maybe that’s one of the reason why michael port and c.j hayden didn’t land on the list.

Thanks Ian for this post.

By: Ian

Ian — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:28:26 +0000

It’s funny Julian, but I haven’t read any of Tom Peters’ work on PSFs.

Being a bit old, I came across him with In Search of Excellence and A Passion for Excellence – and since I was doing my MBA at the time, I earmarked him as interesting, a great presenter, but intellectually lightweight (hey, I was full of it in those days).

I never really came back to check out his more PSF specific writing, although I was aware he was doing some.

More fool me.

Ian

By: Ian

Ian — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:25:25 +0000

Funny you should mention DMS Julian. It was his writing that prompted my to abandon my “traditional” website (which focused on my services and how great I was) in favour of this blog which focuses instead on providing useful information to potential clients (and anyone else interested).

By: Julian Summerhayes

Julian Summerhayes — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:19:01 +0000

One other that I thought about was David Meerman Scott who runs the blog Webinknow.

Regards
Julian

By: Julian Summerhayes

Julian Summerhayes — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:12:14 +0000

Ian

The most obvious person to have been omitted is Tom Peters; apart from David Maister he is the one, in my opinion, who has written most eloquently about the pervasive nature of PSF. I say pervasive because he sees the PSF as being more than just a conglomerate of law firms etc but rather the constituent parts of a PSF doing WOW projects for external clients; far more illuminting that talking endlessly about the age old chestnuts of PSFs. Check out his book re-imagine! and taste the power of what he is saying. His thinking in controversial and not for the feint hearted but in my view if you were doing a rankings he would be joint 1st with Mr Maister.

Best wishes
Julian

By: C.J. Hayden

C.J. Hayden — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:03:13 +0000

Ian, I appreciate your “honorable mention” as well as Mary Flaherty’s. You’ve created an allstar lineup here — great work!

By: Andrew Sobel

Andrew Sobel — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:54:05 +0000

Thanks for including me in such illustrious company. Ian, I’ve enjoyed perusing your site, well done! All the best to you.

By: Sonja Jefferson

Sonja Jefferson — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:30:14 +0000

My vote for Jill Konrath and her book Selling to Big Companies http://tinyurl.com/yefamw8 – a must for those in professional services or any other complex sale. Would be good to see another lady on your list.

By: Suzanne Lowe

Suzanne Lowe — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:13:46 +0000

How gratifying to be included in this august list. Thank you! I promise to keep on trying to be worthy of this crowd.

By: Rabbi Ginzberg

Rabbi Ginzberg — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 19:03:56 +0000

A well chosen list. While I am an avid follower of Alan Weiss, for example, you have given me some names that I am still unfamiliar with- but it won’t remain so for long!

Let me think…. Who should be the twelfth… hmmm….