It is good to see more business confidence in the professionals we meet.

Many are very busy with work opportunities but mindful that it is also important to maintain a regular commitment to business development.

They know all too well that such a commitment will maintain that steady flow of opportunities coming their way.

But how do you fit BD into busy days already heavily populated with client work? Our MD, John Timperley, has written a lot on the subject over the past few years and here he shares 10 simple activities for you to try in the months ahead.

John’s 10 simple BD actions to fit into busy days

1. Write down 5 contacts and jot down your next action for each and when will you do it. Identify what you can do to make the working day of them more enjoyable.

2. When trying to approach a new client, see if any of your network on LinkedIn are connected to them. Can they make an introduction?

3. See if there is any published research from your firm, or elsewhere in the public domain, which you could send and use as a ‘hook’ / reason to reconnect with contacts.

4. Offer some tailored training on a key and relevant issue to win over a new client or add value to an existing one.

5. Hold a state of the market call/meeting with your client contacts to discuss issues and ideas. Map out what you could do to give value and insight.

6. Test yourself. Write down the names of your top ten clients.  Do you know their vision and priorities for this financial year?  If not, find out and be more relevant to them.

7. Make colleagues aware of how you can help them and their clients by highlighting what you are doing for organisations like theirs.

8. Also ensure that your colleagues know the ‘triggers’ for the services you offer so that they can spot the signs at their clients.

9. Make 1 call a day to a client/contact you haven’t heard from in a while. You’ll soon create lots of re-connections you wouldn’t have had.

10. Use travel time by train or plane to catch up with BD – plan calls, send emails, check the latest on your network via LinkedIn etc.

These activities will help you build a regular commitment to BD into your working week as they focus on tasks which can be undertaken relatively quickly.  Over time they will help you strengthen your contact relationships and stimulate new work instructions.  Which could you do?

Contact us if you would like to learn more about our business development coaching, training programmes and webinars.