marketing & sales: Are You the George Clooney of Your Market
7. Do you ask the questions? Or are you grilled by potential clients who don't really know who you are? When a film director calls George Clooney to discuss a potential movie project, who do you think is asking the tough questions? The star. The same applies in business. When a CEO calls Jim Collins, it's Collins who is asking the questions about the CEO's issues, his strategy, his organization and so on. And here's the good news: You don't have to wait until you're famous to put yourself in this position—you can do it right now, regardless of where you are in your career. When you're the one with the thought-provoking, engaging questions in the conversation—be it with a brand new prospect or a longtime client—you immediately move yourself up a notch and gain control of the discussion. You quickly move from being a vendor who takes orders to a proactive, thoughtful advisor who is focused on helping clients achieve their most important goals.