Defining the “I” in BusIness Development™
How many times have you heard that your industry is being “commoditized”?
You and your business development team conduct the checklist, going through your pre-sales process; you submit your firm’s proposal and wait with baited breath, only to learn that the Client has decided to move forward with one of your competitors.
You then ask the Client “WHY” and they tell you the easiest answer that they have: PRICE. It’s never price; or it’s never only price. The Client either doesn’t want to tell you what it is in fear of hurting your feelings, or they can’t adequately articulate what it is that set the other firm apart from yours.
As Simon Sinek so astutely has identified, it’s how that firm inspired the Client, how that firm articulated their purpose and how that firm made the Client feel.
As Sinek says:
“People don’t buy what you do;
they buy why you do it.”
Proof positive of Sinek’s theories is the evolution of the buying strategy. Sophisticated Clients don’t buy firms; they buy people. Long gone are the days of the rainmaker in which the owner of the firm goes out to slay the dragons and bring back the work. You remember those days. The teams of employees would be at their desks like baby birds awaiting the next great project for their execution.
In today’s B2B sales environment when you’re selling a technical service (such as architecture, engineering, construction, etc.), the best of the best business development professionals can only guide you to a certain stage in the sales process.
Identify, Hone and Articulate
At that point, the Doer (i.e., the technical project point person assigned to the Client) must be able to Identify, Hone and Articulate™ the value that he/she will bring to the process. It’s a true IHA™ moment that maximizes the potential of the “I” in BusIness Development.
This is easier said than done since a vast number of technical professionals aren’t comfortable in high connectivity networking settings in which they are required to relay their background/experience/lessons learned to strangers in order to win work. They try to fight it; try to indicate that they’re not up for this dog and pony show; indicate that they’re puritans only there for the great work. They’re also the dinosaurs.
I love working with the technicians who get it
Technicians who embrace the evolution of the industry; those who understand their role in the handoff within the process. One thing (among many) that I remind them is that they didn’t get to where they are as a technical leader in their field without education and lots of experience. Identifying, Honing and Articulating one’s value takes time and practice. Eventually, they lock in success and establish their own “I” in BusIness Development.
BD Dynamics™
BD Dynamics, Empowering the Technical-Minded was released in August to great reviews.
Visit www.bddynamics.com for more information.
https://authentizity.com/two-concepts-that-i-know-for-sure/
