The Relationship Capital Academy (or RelCap Academy) exists to help users of the advanced consultative and behavioral approaches outlined in the book
Smarter Selling (Financial Times, 2007 and 2011), to build trusted relationships, whether inside an organization, with colleagues, or outside the organization with clients, customers, stakeholders and suppliers.
There is a bit of history to how we got to where we are today. If you're interested to know more, read on.
RelCap was established by David Lambert, co-author of
Smarter Selling and Paul Neale, former Head of Learning for KPMG in Asia.
Most of the tools and approaches within the academy originate from the Smarter Selling book. The book sets out the IoweU™ approach, an advanced consultative and behavioral conversation architecture, that helps build sustainable business relationships founded on trust and mutual respect.
The book was originally titled I Owe U - a guide to building trusted business relationships, but the publishers changed the title. Overall, a good move, as despite being deemed "too thoughtful" for the American market (by the publisher, not by us!), Smarter Selling sold well in Europe and Asia. Well enough to be published in an updated 2nd edition.
Smarter Selling received high praise, not least from Dr Neil Rackham, author of Spin Selling and the originator of consultative selling. Rackham wrote:
“Success in the consultative sale is all about creating customer value from every meeting, but few salespeople know how to do this. Smarter Selling has many useful and practical ideas to help people.”
More praise came from Charles H. Green, co-author of The Trusted Advisor, who wrote:
“The tools covered in Smarter Selling will help any salesperson who is wanting to make the shift from a traditional to a consultative approach and ultimately towards becoming a trusted advisor.”
Building on the success of
Smarter Selling, David and Keith (the co-authors), developed a suite of training programs and in the years since, have worked across multiple industries, geographies and cultures, helping people in all types of organization and roles, build stronger, more sustainable business relationships.
What is new and different about RelCap Academy is that for the first time, the various components of the IoweUTM approach and tools are available individually, reducing costs and enabling users to target specific areas where they need help.
With this change, individuals and any size of organization, can now access learning that previously, was only available to large groups.
We've spent many years refining IoweUTM to get to where we are today. Our aspirational goal remains to change the way the world sells, one conversation at a time. Selling ideas, selling products or selling services. Everybody sells, every day.
Our sincere hope is that through using the Application Canvases and related resource in RelCap Academy, you sell better, that others get more value from working with you, and most importantly, that you enjoy the financial success and job satisfaction that IoweUTM can bring.
