As a professional business developer with years of a proven track record to my name, I used 3 strategies to successfully grow and cement my status as a BD PRO. Whether you are new or have been in the sector for a while, here are my top 3 strategies that can upgrade your status to a PRO:
Networking
In business, networking is the most important strategy especially when you want to grow. It may perhaps be the most widely used strategy in the business world but it needs to be fully utilized for a successful outcome. When you connect with your target audience, you can open new businesses and expand existing ones… however there are limits. Networking takes time and with businesses and buyers nowadays under a lot of time pressure, considering traveling and being away from the office, it can get quite expensive.
However, the knowledge of using the new digital network technology saves money and time. Utilizing these two means; in-person and digital outreach depending on the situation and client needs, will go a long way to establishing your status as a business development PRO.
Referrals
Positive relationships and customer satisfaction opens door to new business. Simply put:
Happy customers = recommendations=new customers=business growth.
Referrals bring in opportunities for businesses to grow, however, they can be passive and overreliance can be quite risky especially when the referral source does not know how the full view of how your services can help the referred client.
You should be weary of this, as it means their success rate may be lower compared to when the outreach is done personally. This means a prospective client who could have been a good customer shuts you out before they even talk to you.
To avoid this, I personally use the new digital strategies to explicitly showcase my expertise in order to match the needs of the referral. This helps my existing clients to have a better understanding of the services I offer, leading to a larger referral base and new business contacts as well as improving my image in BD competency.
Advertising
With advancements in technology, the interconnected world is phasing out the traditional advertising methods currently associated with slow growth. With a majority of the world online, digital advertising has become more critical and easier to use than ever. Understanding digital marketing is key for a business developer’s professional growth as it provides you with access to reach businesses and individual clients on their preferred platforms at a low cost. Knowing the ins and outs of digital marketing will definitely set you apart as a BD PRO.
In summary, implementing a simple strategy in your business development career is much more effective than trying multiple complex strategies in the hope of a positive outcome. Remember, fewer elements, properly implemented, always lead to better results.
