• Introduction

  • Step 1 - Strengthening your network and targeting new business

  • Step 2 - Developing and protecting your client relationships

  • Step 3 - Improving your BD performance and success

     

    Which could you undertake over the next week:

    • Be more effective with your business development time. Suggest a catch up over a coffee instead of a long lunch.
    • Identify what you can do, to make the working day of three of your contacts more enjoyable.
    • 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.
    • Spend 15 minutes a day thinking about what else you can do to help your client. Then do something about your thought.
    • Review your BD goals and adjust your plan accordingly.
    • Travelling by train or plane this week? Why not use some of the time for BD - plan calls, send catch up emails, check out the latest on your network.
    • Create an elevator pitch that you are comfortable with. What do you do and how do you add value to clients? What examples would you share?
    • If you are not sure how you come over on the phone, be brave and take this test. Ring yourself and leave a message on your answer phone or voicemail.
    • Try using handwritten personal notes instead of emails for thank you's or to personalise hard copy communications.
    • Join forces with a fellow professional from a related and complementary discipline and do BD together.
    • Have a session on LinkedIn and research contacts you would like to get closer to, or are going to meet. Can you gain an introduction? Can you invite them to connect (and then follow it up when they accept)?
    Now move on to the final stage of this module
  • Step 4 - Planning your approach