Since I was inveigled out of Bank of Ireland in 1997 I have more or less worked in Business Development. It has been called different things and I have had additional responsibilities, but at the end of the day I had to sell stuff.
I have often heard people talking about BD commenting that ‘anybody can do that’; and the truth is that they are right, anybody can!
So, as someone who has just launched a new venture promoting Business Development-as-a-service perhaps I should be worried about that. But here is the comforting reality for me, while almost anybody can do what I do, the simple fact remains, they don’t!
People are either too busy, lack the focus, think someone else is doing it or plain do not understand what business development is, to actually do it. So, all is not lost!
Covid of course, which has decimated so many lives (except of course ‘the fighter’ Trump) has also thrown up some interesting opportunities, notably among companies that have reduced workforce numbers but still need to build pipeline and find new customers. So, what is Business Development and why is it that people don’t do it? For me it is;
- An acute awareness of your brand
- Understanding your products and services and most importantly what business issues they address
- Understanding what people (and it’s all about people) should hear about you
- What partnerships might benefit your business
- Which are the best value networks and industry bodies for your company
- Meeting lots of people, talking a lot and gaining trust and curiosity of the listener
So yes, anyone can do it, but many don’t, and with the best will in the world rarely will. Then there are those who think they can but just can’t carry it off – they’re my favourites!
Of all the senior roles in a company I would say that sales roles are probably the most likely to be filled by those without a college degree. Of course this does not mean that they are any less demanding or require any less skill than those traditionally staffed by graduates, it’s just a different set of skills, generally referred to as ‘street smarts’ or ‘life skills’.
Anyway, don’t be proud, get some serious BD function going in your business and stop kidding yourself that you can do it, actually no, stop kidding yourself that you WILL do it. And if it looks expensive then check out Business Development-as-a-service.