“But, I Don’t Like (Or I’m Not Good At) Business Development…”
If I had a dollar for every time that I’ve heard a technical “doer” say they don’t like to do business development, I would be a very wealthy woman indeed.
It’s not an unfounded excuse; however this tall tale is likely based on a misconception the person has about sales or the salesperson stereotype.
Inc.com’s Contributing Editor, Geoffrey James, describes it well when he states that many people have two main character types in mind when asked their impression of salespeople.
The characters (or rather caricatures) are either (1) slimy, shysters, greedy for your money and less caring about fulfilling your needs/expectations or (2) sad, unsuccessful people distressed and distraught for the sale.
Who wants to be one of those people?
As it relates to being successful in business development, there is a difference with being attentive/tenacious and being desperate and conniving. Individuals who are desperate and conniving wear that anxiety and impatience in their actions and actually repel their prospects through missteps attempted by inauthentic actions.
In their book, Strengths Based Selling, Gallup’s Tony Rutigliano and Brian Brim, Ed.D., indicate that “There’s a stereotype that if you’re in sales, you have to be able to go for the jugular to close business. What we’re discovering instead is that depending on the type of sales you’re in, there may be different types of talents that are keys to success. That’s why it’s so important to understand your own talents — so you can figure out your pathway to success.”
Growth and Evolution
When you’re attentive/tenacious for growth, you believe in and are proud of what your firm produces and want to offer it as a resource to all prospects with whom you encounter, but especially to your previous clients. However, you can only do so most effectively after you’ve researched and listened to them to understand their needs/expectations and goals/objectives.
The evolution of the business development professional (and, ultimately, the “doer/seller” model) is reliant upon the ability to impart character, confidence, credibility and composure to your audience so that you establish value based upon trust and reliability. It is also about being consistently intentional and accountable to the relationships in your network.
That’s not just business development; that’s career building through relationship cultivation and evolution. You can call it whatever you like to make it happen. I’ve even encouraged some of my clients to call it “fun times with friends.”
You see, by transitioning your thinking to a “fun time with friends” nomenclature, then you won’t dread it. You will approach it with more of a servant leader stance as a means to provide a value to assist someone that you know and like which will successfully drive their progression from Point A to Point B.
The key is that you have to believe in the quality, innovation, execution, etc. of what you’re offering to your relationships.
If you don’t believe in your services and yourself, then how do you expect your clients to?
If your career path requires greater and greater “doer/seller” and business development functions for you to succeed, then I encourage you to hire a technical coach who will work with you to identify your individual strengths and guide you as you leverage those strengths to achieve these goals.
In my 30+ year career in technical, B2B business development, I have seen many different ways that a variety of professionals approach business development to achieve success. There are no two paths the same as we are all the by-product of our individual talents, experiences and education.
Embrace your individuality to humbly define your value.
If you’d like to discuss this or other Business Development Strategies and Techniques, please contact me at dlandry@authentizity.com.
