Magical business development?
We often receive enquiries from firms looking for short cuts and quick fixes to business development issues and prosperity problems. Many contact us when things are already dire – perhaps they’ve lost a big client due to an unsuccessful tender, or because there’s been a monumental service slip up.
Many are looking for a magic wand, silver bullet, or a get out of jail card to play. But we don’t peddle quick fixes or snake oil. In fact, much of what we espouse is common business sense.
We have observed that the most effective and successful firms are those that set realistic business development goals, document and communicate them, and then chip away at them week in and week out. They’re self-aware enough to not indulge in magical thinking.
Devoting time to business development and marketing alongside your regular work can be a tough balancing act. It’s a bit like regular exercise: if you tell yourself you’re going to exercise every day, in a rare week you may manage it. But most weeks you might fit in two or three sessions – and this is a much more realistic and achievable goal.
Smart exercisers will also consistently fit in incidental exercise, like getting off the bus one stop early and walking the rest of the way, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or taking that phone call while standing up rather than sitting down.
Just like long-term sustainable fitness goals, professional success doesn’t come from a one-off burst of activity when the mood takes you. The truth is far more boring.
While it’s important to set aside time for the big stuff, it’s the little things you can do every day that will make a difference.
Be persistent and consistent in executing your business development plan. In particular, don’t overlook the small things, most of which don’t even cost money, they just take a little organisation.
Like anything, if it was easy then every firm would be doing it and thriving. It takes focussed effort to get traction with your clients, market and referral sources.
So, rather than banking on grandiose business development schemes, aim for persistent consistency in the small things and eventually you will see big benefits.
We can help, please get in touch.
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Feature article
Tender readability – tips to improve your tender presentation and some tender presentation no-nos
Tender readability remains a problem for some in the 21st century. I still see submission documents that cling to a handful of really old hat tender presentation and formatting techniques. I suspect this is because some of these ‘rules’ are viewed as being more appropriate to a ‘formal’ style of document such as a tender. […]
