The Four Conversations: A New Model for Selling Expertise

by Blair Enns, Bryn Mooth (editor), Colette Enns (editor)

Sell and Price Like the Expert You Are

Your first job is being the expert advisor or practitioner. Your second job is selling that expertise. If you’ve ever felt that these two roles are in conflict with each other then The Four Conversations is the book for you.

Amazon best-selling author of The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, Blair Enns, provides a new model for those who have to sell their expertise before they deliver it. You will

Why many of the techniques used to sell products and transactional services don’t apply to the sale of expertise
How to sell your expertise the same way you deliver it—with confidence and integrity
How to move from being seen as a vendor to being recognized as the expert
How to price and structure your engagements in a way that creates more value for your clients and helps you to capture more of that value through higher feesRaise your win rates, increase your fees and feel more comfortable and confident in your second job of selling your expertise.

Genres: Business, Psychology

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2024

Reviews

[Dejana Peric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book for work BUT unexpectedly enjoyed reading it and found it really useful! (As a matter of policy, though, I won’t give a book about work 5 stars. Plus, I found one typo and one use of “flushing” out. SORRY for being pretentious about this.)

[Pete Markos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic - detailed and gets down to the granularity of client conversations. I'll read it again and again that's for sure. X

[Lauren Petrullo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this for a book club with other agency folks. I like many aspects. Lots of reiterations of what I’ve been learning. Huge fan of his podcast.

Only reason it’s not 5 stars is cause I wish there had been more examples.

I also found it interesting that the closing convo, the ultimate was so short but I guess the point is there’s not much to the close convo cause you’ve already won it by now.

Also, because I listened to it, I felt like I was really deprived of some of the value in the printed version. In other audiobooks, I’ve seen variations of the text to what’s read, to connect best with the audio consumer - that would better support the content. It felt like this book had great supporting visuals that the audio couldn’t benefit from. I’m sure they’re available somewhere, but I’m spoiled and used to reminders of where to see the charts, graphs, and illustrations.

[Liana Tarling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great value to roles across agencies. I appreciated having clear and concise framework that can be immediately implemented and actioned. I found the tips on presenting yourself as an expert particularly useful. Sometimes a little idealistic perhaps… I’m intrigued to see how it will work in practice with some tricky clients/ situations that arise but the book was packed with great tips that I hope will help us move away from vendor to value based client relationships, while empowering us to reduce the numbers of proposals/ thinking we give away for free.

[Kurtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great framework on selling. I’ve read a lot in this area as I learn and this approach resonates more than any other.

It’ll keep you in the expert position while allowing for you to discover the need and impact. Then, once we’re all in agreeable, talking solution and options.

This approach is a refreshing breath of fresh air and something that should be the go to approach for someone positioning themselves as an expert service provider!

[Alberto Cristino · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. While it covers negotiation in a more advanced way, I’d still highly recommend it to anyone starting a new business. I really appreciate Blair's writing. He has a rare ability to make complex topics feel both accessible and eloquent. He clearly respects the reader's time. The third chapter alone, The Value Conversation, is worth the read on its own.

[Kelly P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skimmed for work, wrote an outline

[Dawid Cedrych · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I’d read it 5 years ago, I would either:
a) be 10x richer now
b) have switched careers immediately

Fortunately, it was just released a few weeks ago and I read it right on time.

5/5

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple and straightforward framework, and a clear and concise exposition of that framework.

[Sally Kintz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting at dissecting the path to sales and working with customers in the best possible way. Perhaps I need to read it again, to get more from it.

[Russel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great breakdown on a framework for how to sell expertise.

[Dennis O. Madsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I’m too familiar with Blair’s work to be the one evaluating his book. Over the years, I’ve come to really like Blair, so I’m too biased.

As expected, this is one of the best books anyone can buy if they’re selling expertise and care about serving their clients ethically. A must-read for serious professionals.

[Ronald J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: Blair Enns is a dear friend and colleague. We’ve influenced each other’s thinking for years, sometimes harmonizing, sometimes disagreeing — always in pursuit of the same thing: elevating expertise, dignity, and value in professional work.

That said, this book stands entirely on its own merits.

The Four Conversations is not really about selling. It’s about leadership — specifically, the courage it takes to show up as an expert rather than hide behind process, proposals, pitches, and performative compliance.

The core insight is simple and profound:

“In any sale of expertise, the sale is the sample of the engagement to follow.”

Once you see that, you can’t unsee it. We use to say it this way: how you sell is indicative of how you solve.

What I admire most about this book is its moral clarity. Blair is unapologetic about the idea that experts must lead — not persuade, not chase, not submit. The expert is not a vendor. The expert is the prize. That framing alone will make some readers uncomfortable. Good. It should.

There are lines here that could serve as a manifesto for the transformation economy:

“We will not be remembered for the work we do; we will be remembered for the impact we had on people.”

That’s not sales talk. That’s a philosophy of professional life.

This book doesn’t ask you to adopt a script; it challenges you to adopt a stance. To think harder about status, power, value, and the kind of professional you want to become.

If you sell your time, your outputs, or your compliance, this book will unsettle you.

If you sell judgment, insight, and transformation, this book will feel like coming home.

High praise, well deserved.