Drumming up business in a continuously shifting modern world is becoming increasingly complex. I’ve read the books, watched the Ted Talks, and read too many AI-generated LinkedIn posts, not to mention done the job with some success over the past 5 years, and the truth might be a bitter pill to swallow.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately, there isn’t a simple, golden solution or shortcut that’ll solve your problems overnight or give you a leg up on your competitors. Business development is many things; easy isn’t one of them. However, there are two core areas of focus that, when applied consistently and combined, create a sturdy, robust foundation that can drive results and increase revenue.
These two core areas are: networking effectively and building strong relationships. It’s probably at this point that you’re realising that I’m not saying anything groundbreaking. I’m not, but bear with me here. What separates a good business development professional from a bad one usually isn’t in the ‘what’ – we all know that we need to network and build relationships, after all. It’s in the ‘how’.
So, without any further ado, allow me to guide you through some proven BD insights that’ll actually win you business.
Strategic Networking
Forgive me if this reads like BD: 101, as networking is naturally a core fundamental to any BD strategy, but mastering this basic is absolutely essential if you want to succeed.
Networking with the right industry professionals can catapult your business into new realms of visibility and growth. But how do you meet the right people? I’d encourage a strategic approach, in which you do your best to guarantee optimal outcomes by sprinkling enough opportunities for yourself throughout the upcoming year. Although it depends on the industry, I can almost guarantee there is no shortage of sector-specific networking events and award shows in your market.
These events present some of the best opportunities to meet with your target clients or customers face-to-face. But unless it’s a trade show, I’d advise you to keep your pitch to a minimum; instead, don’t be afraid to stray off topic and into broader conversations. This can often lead to common ground and will make you more memorable. At the end of the day, they’ll remember the person, not the pitch.
We all enjoy complaining about LinkedIn – the superficial interactions, flimsy connections between trends and professional scenarios, and the thin veil of self-promotion over every single post. But for BD, it’s critical that you have a posting strategy that you can stick to. Whether you want to post once per week or connect with and message thirty target clients per week, it’s been proven time and time again that LinkedIn can open doors for businesses.
To bolt on to that point: shout about your successes. Tag your clients in posts which showcase the outstanding work you’ve done. Make sure that your growing network of relevant industry professionals can see the work you’ve done. That way, if you send over a message to a new connection, they’ll see the successful outcomes of your work when they scroll through your profile. Authentic social proof of your business can build trust with prospective clients or customers before they even respond to your message.
On top of that, having a web presence in this day and age isn’t even up for debate. Your business needs a website. It’s the epicentre of your digital presence and drastically increases visibility.
Read: Can You Make Money Reselling Unclaimed Items? Here’s the Truth
Build Authentic Relationships
So once you’ve brought on a new client, how do you keep them? We all know that relationships are the bedrock of business development, but too many times, I’ve seen people who claim to be great at building them fall short.
The key to any strong relationship is authenticity. Whether it’s business, social, or romantic, you can only connect with another person if you trust and understand them. So, be honest with your clientele; be upfront about what you can offer and how it will benefit them, but don’t set expectations too high.
On top of that, avoid slipping into a persona that’s too ‘salesy’. If you bombard your buyers with information, you can: a) come across as unlikable, and b) miss details about the key problems they have and are trying to solve.
I’d advise utilising open questioning and encouraging them to do most of the talking, you’ll discover key pieces of information, around which you can orient your pitch. For example, if you’re meeting with a construction business that tells you they have struggled to scale their business nationally, you can then focus your pitch on your contact list that spans the entire country, and the levers you could pull to facilitate their growth.
Lastly, meet your clients in person. Since the pandemic and the advent of remote working, the world’s gone backwards in this regard. We’ve all gotten far too comfortable on Teams and Google Meets – this needs to end. But, before it does, get ahead of your competitors. I can almost guarantee that they’re hiding behind emails and webcams, which gives you a golden opportunity. Differentiate yourself from the competition and, after an initial interaction with a client, ask if they’d like to meet the old-fashioned way.
Utilise All Channels At Your Disposal and Be Consistent
Don’t just limit yourself to your comfort zone. The opportunity cost of doing so is too high, so when you’re constructing your strategy, ensure that your diary spreads out your business development methods across events, social media, face-to-face meetings, emails and phone calls.
I’m not implying that you need to BD all of the time; just be consistent. A ‘little and often’ approach will always yield better results than cramming for hours when you’re desperate.
Closing Thoughts
For many people, business development can feel like a relentless grind. Whether you’re web developers in Manchester, marketers in Dundee, or recruiters in Cornwall, business development will always require hard work. But that doesn’t mean that you need to suffer. Master the basics of networking and relationship building, and arm yourself with a variety of tools to help you in each arena. Once you’ve done that, all that’s left is to stay consistent.