Business development: not just for senior people
In many professional services firms, business development (BD) has traditionally been viewed as something for the senior team – typically partners and directors. Indeed, it’s true: they will always ‘own’ the majority of key client relationships.
However, if you keep to this strict definition, your firm will potentially be missing out on opportunities – and be at risk.
Why involve a broader group in business development?
Think about it: anyone who has client contact is, in effect, already doing business development – whether they realise it or not. Every interaction with a client is a moment that shapes how that client feels about the firm. It’s also a chance to strengthen the relationship and spot opportunities to help them further.
Research by Meridian West shows that those below Partner level have a significant impact on how satisfied clients feel.
That’s hardly surprising.
Often, it’s the Associates, Consultants or Managers who are doing the day-to-day work and having frequent contact and having the greatest impact on clients. If these individuals are consistently helpful, responsive and thoughtful – that feeds into the client’s overall perception.
If they’re not, well... that sticks too. This level of people need to understand the important role they play and know how to maximise it.
There’s also a more strategic reason for getting more people involved: forming relationships at multiple levels within a client organisation creates what’s often called ‘stickiness’. It makes the relationship less dependent on a single person. That’s important for the client – who may feel more confident in the firm’s depth – and also reduces the risk if a senior person at your firm leaves.
Then there’s the question of growth and succession.
If more junior people aren’t exposed to BD, how can you expect them to bring in new work or lead client relationships in the future?
It becomes a vicious circle – they’re not involved because they lack experience, and they lack experience because they’re not involved.
What needs to happen?
To involve more junior people in BD, there are several key challenges to overcome.
1. Help people understand why their contribution matters
It’s not always obvious to junior or mid-level professionals why they’re being asked to think about business development. Helping them see the bigger picture – and how their day-to-day work feeds into long-term client loyalty and growth – can shift their mindset.
2. Be thoughtful about what they’re involved in
Not everyone needs to be out pitching for new work or attending networking events. In fact, that could be counterproductive without the right preparation. Start small. Involve them in client meetings, ask them to contribute to proposals, or have them present in internal BD discussions. Let them observe and contribute in safe, structured ways.
3. Provide role models – and access to them
One of the best ways for people to learn BD is by seeing how others do it. That might be a partner who handles a tricky client situation with finesse, or a colleague who asks insightful questions that opens up new opportunities.
The challenge, of course, is that with more people working from home, those opportunities to observe don’t happen as naturally. Think about how you can create them – whether that’s through greater planning, recordings, or debriefs after meetings.
4. Don’t skip the skills
It’s not fair – or effective – to expect people to contribute to BD without giving them the tools. That doesn’t mean full-scale sales training, but it does mean ensuring they know what the firm does, how it helps clients, and the problems it solves. It also means helping them build confidence regarding topics such as understanding what clients want, building rapport, ,and networking
It’s about culture as much as capability
Bringing more people into business development isn’t just about ticking a skills box. It’s about creating a culture where everyone sees themselves as part of the firm’s growth. Where BD isn’t some mysterious ‘Partner-only’ activity, but something that’s embedded in how a firm works with clients every day.
When you get that right, you not only build stronger client relationships – you also develop your people in the process.
A Business Development Culture exists when a majority of people are involved in BD and it is part of business as usual.
Whether you need to establish a Business Development Culture in your firm or improve the one you have, get in touch to discuss how I can help.
If you want to get people thinking about this topic at an away day or conference, then contact me to enquire about my talk Why Business Development is Everybody’s Business.
