As entrepreneurs many of us realize that we aren’t salesmen, so we hire business development managers to find our customers. The thing is though as CEO’s we are the best business development managers
available. We know this company inside and out and we know what the company can do, so even if you have a business development manager here are a few tips for developing new business.
Unsolicited proposals
These are the cold calls of the future and if your business is a professional services firm, this could be a way to break into an untapped market. Unsolicited proposals are much easier to write than standard proposals because you are identifying the need. These proposals have to be much more researched and have to contain a definite value for choosing your company.
Twitter leads
I’ll admit that I’m still a social media novice (even as I write this blog) but I had a colleague retained through twitter from a stable, growing company. The gig led to the building of his reputation in the private market and has continued to snow ball. While that may not be the normal, it is a great example of how your reputation builds business.
Networking
I know that we’ve all heard this before but the truth of the matter is that it works. People buy from people so they need to meet you and talk with you. Sending an e-mail is great, but follow it up with a phone call and physical visit. While you are there, drop the hard sell. Ask questions about the buyer and get to know them-remember that the will come, you want to establish a relationship.
Business is so much more than selling a product or a service. There are two types of business: people who sell what you need and people who sell what you want, whichever one you are you want to be the one making the sale.
