Selling the Invisible

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1. kjs3Feb 2024
   The best books I found when I was doing exactly this were the books by Harry Beckwith, starting with "Selling the Invisible". He focuses on services sales, and how you create a perception of value for your service.
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2. kristopolousApr 2023
   ok tried it out.

   I don't think I'm your customer here.

   I think the parting advice I can give is <all products are relationships>. The interface and experience defines this relationship. We shape our buildings and thereafter they shape us or the interface sets the terms of the engagement or the medium is the message. It's been stated a myriad of ways.

   I kinda hated "Selling the invisible" by Harry Beckwith but out of the 100 or so marketing and product development books I've read, I think, for you in particular, a weekend paging through that book might really help you here. You have to read it as an analogy of how to design software of course.

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3. webmavenDec 2020
   > I think what's holding me back is being unable to decide on a field / niche to really own. My current specialty is design systems, and I'm getting to know then pretty well, but I'm not sure how translate that skillset into charging more than a React developer without a specialty might.

   So, this crossover between design and development is something I have some experience with. My question is whether you just mean UI and similar on-screen design systems (and whether you actually do the design yourself), or if you've extended this to things like signage and wayfinding, packaging, organizational identity, and so on.

   Second, when you identify as an Individual Contributor, do you mean as part of a team (and if so, what sort of team), or are you more interested in working alone on projects you can complete yourself?

   A bit of a digression, but I think this may help:

   Design work tends to go to individuals and teams that specialize in the type of clients they work with, whether that is determined by size, sector, industry, geographic location, or business model, rather than (or in addition to) the type of work that is required. This is because clients typically aren't just looking for skill and expertise (which they may not be able to evaluate), but for emapthy with and understanding of their challenges needs and even fears and aspirations.

   Deep and heavy stuff, huh?

   Not to worry (much, anyway), a shortcut to this achievement is the specialization in type of clients, mentioned above; by signaling that you have done (or seek to do) work for other clients JUST LIKE THEM, you're giving them what they need in terms of reassurance. It is also helpful, though not essential, if you yourself match the client along one or more of the dimensions you're targeting, even if they aren't necessarily relevant to the work.

   Of course, this same reassuring information will turn away clients that don't match your target profile, so deciding on a particular type of client almost certainly means sacrificing other opportunities (though these days setting up several business facades targeting different types of clients isn't too difficult).

   And so, offering a range of services can be attractive to clients, which makes it rather important to be able to handle project management at least, even if you don't want to start an agency or studio and be a manager per-se.

   Anyway, enough of the squishy handwavy stuff. A specific resource that I found very helpful back when I was billing myself as a web designer/developer is the book "The Business Side of Creativity" by Cameron Foote. Many of the pre-SaaS small business mechanics described (such as around accounting) are now outdated, but the sections on how to specialize and seek out the clients that need what you're selling are probably what you're looking for. They are just as applicable to software consulting as they are to design work.

   Another is "Selling the Invisible" by Harry Beckwith, which is all about marketing services (which are usually intangible) rather than products.

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4. tsatterstenSep 2015
   Our selections from The 100 Best Business Books of All Time were:

   -Selling The Invisible by Harry Beckwith (great look at selling services) -Secrets of Closing The Sale by Zig Ziglar (gets you prepared for objections) -How to Become A Rainmaker by Jeffrey Fox (shortcuts to better sales techniques) -The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer (best first book for first time salespeople)

   As mentioned in other posts, I would also add SPIN Selling, Mastering the Complex Sale and The Referral Engine.

   "Smart" books in the sales space include Influence, Made To Stick, To Sell Is Human.

   For motivation, read more Zig, Tony Robbins, and Dale Carnegie.

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5. mgkimsalSep 2012
   networking and word of mouth - both take longer, but will have longer term results. I made a couple connections in 2006/2007 that I can directly attribute $200k in income to, because of their word of mouth referrals. That came just from local meetups and such.

   There's plenty of people I've met which haven't directly contributed to my bottom line, but to try to look at everyone as a potential $ is a wrong approach. I enjoy trying to find referrals for other people I meet, and I think that's come back to me a few times (unexpectedly, but not that surprising, perhaps).

   Couple other random thoughts:

   "Selling the Invisible" (beckwith?) - useful to read. Not specifically tech-oriented, but will get you in the right frame of mind.

   "Million Dollar Consulting" (weiss?) - may give you a different perspective on freelance consulting.

   Contact local design shops to see if they need an extra pair of hands on call.

   Put up a portfolio website with a phone number. Then answer the phone if someone calls.

   gentle yet shameless plug: http://indieconf.com is being held again this year to cover precisely these sorts of topics - how to get clients, how to not get ripped off, etc - we'll have 18-21 sessions total - I'm confirming them with speakers this week, so the site doesn't yet reflect the full schedule.

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6. melvinramApr 2009
   Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith from the list is a good one.
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