The Activator Advantage

There is a growing problem in the professional services industry that is often acknowledged but rarely discussed openly: clients--even long-standing ones for whom firms have delivered unquestioned value in the past--are much less loyal to firms and partners than they once were. This dramatic shift in client behavior has rendered traditional approaches to business development not only ineffective but counterproductive.

But top performers have figured out a radical new approach that is redefining what it means to be a "rainmaker" in today's professional services market.

Drawing on a comprehensive, quantitative study of nearly 3,000 partners--spanning law, accounting, consulting, investment banking, executive search, and public relations--The Activator Advantage identifies the five types of partners found across the professional services landscape and shows how only one of them--the Activator--drives consistent growth.

Activators deeply embed business development habits into their daily workflow, aggressively leverage their internal and external networks and proactively deliver both business and personal value to clients--all of which not only helps shield them from the vagaries of modern client buying behavior but also lays the groundwork for stickier, longer-lasting relationships.

Packed with eye-opening data, counterintuitive insights, and robust case examples--as well as the trademark storytelling abilities of the researchers who produced such business blockbusters as The Challenger Sale, The Effortless Experience, and The JOLT Effect--The Activator Advantage provides the road map for any professional services partner or firm leader looking to chart a path to greater client engagement, internal collaboration, revenue growth, and firm profitability in the new era of client disloyalty.

About the Authors

Matthew Dixon is a founding partner of DCM Insights, a company that helps professional services firms improve business development. He is a coauthor of the bestselling The Challenger Sale, as well as The Challenger Customer, The Effortless Experience, and The JOLT Effect.

Rory Channer is a founding partner at DCM Insights and was previously Chief Business Development Officer at McDermott Will & Emery.

Karen Freeman is a partner at DCM Insights and was previously a Senior Manager of Learning at McKinsey & Company.

Ted McKenna is a founding partner of DCM Insights and coauthor, with Matthew Dixon, of The JOLT Effect. He was previously a Global Knowledge Leader at Russell Reynolds Associates.