I am not saying I am the world’s greatest Business Developer, but I have come across the good, the bad and the ugly in terms of Business Development along my journey. For some, it is a quick win system, others it’s the hard sell – the approach changes per individual and industry. I work in Business Development for apprenticeships. I represent five curriculum areas, liaise with multiple staff and work with hundreds of employers to reward their staff with higher-level training. Below are my six ways to be a great Business Developer.

 

  1. Listen

Seems a simple technique but one that always serves you well. True Business Development is about really listening to what the client needs. You can’t sell a product or provision that someone has no use for and if you try to “sell this in” you will be left feeling pretty lonely when they never want to speak to you again. Listening enables you to be useful and to offer insight where you have it. The wonderful thing about listening, in my experience, (and working with a range of companies), is that it helps me think of all sorts of ways I can be useful. It becomes more than apprenticeships and can include what other contacts I have to help my client work. This is a value add for the client and makes me feel rewarded to help them in a range of ways.

 

2. Build Trust

Building trust is an interesting one because how do you do this, and how can it be measured? For me, it is about integrity and being really honest about my limitations. I never over promise and under deliver, I manage expectations from the get-go and give the client the most in-depth detail I have at the time. I then follow up when I get updates. I can suggest other providers who might give a closer fit product, and then I follow up with the new provider to make sure they respond. Essentially, I believe the client is my responsibility, and it is my duty to make sure they have the best experience. Only when I feel they will be appropriately looked after, do I feel able to let them go. Because of this, I have gained referrals and advocates over the years. Thankfully for my contacts, they know they can pass it to me and deliver on their recommendation.

 

3. Make it personal

I am a people person; I love working with others, and particularly in collaboration. Building proper relationships with people is the key to sustainable professional connections and engagement. I won’t always remember someone’s name the second time I meet them, but meeting them again and again at events, meetings, or seeing their posts on LinkedIn, cements the relationship and makes it more than a business contract. Business Development should be real. Conversations shouldn’t be a one-track-record; it should be the real stuff that helps people connect. I can’t even tell you some of the random conversations I have had while getting to know business contacts, from facts about Russian submarines to vintage car restorations and meerkats.

 

4. Adapt to people

I attend several networking events and meetings, and if I think about it too much, it can be quite daunting. But for me, people and business take all sorts, from the big egos to the quietly confident and everything in between. For me, it is about adapting to each individual and situation and giving people respect. It is about judging the situation and always being empathetic to others. The famous Maya Angelou quote “people remember how you make them feel” is significant here. Adapting to people is just a part of it though, being adaptable in what you can offer, the service delivery and the product is a key component.

 

5. Don’t “fake it until you make it”

I have worked with some business developers who work on the premise of “I know a little more than the client, so I am OK’. This doesn’t really wash with me. Do I know a lot about apprenticeships? Yes. Do I know everything about apprenticeships? No. Can I find out the answers to more complex questions and feed them back promptly? Yes. It really is simple. This, for me, is about being genuine. I see some situations unfold because people have blagged it, and it is not worth the hassle or potential reputational damage. Sometimes you have to have difficult conversations, which is an opportunity to show your resilience and ability to adapt to make it work. Fobbing clients off to save your neck is never a good idea, and the issue never goes away. Deal with people honestly, warmly and professionally, and you will be onto a winning relationship.

 

6. Follow up

It can be tricky always to follow up appropriately, and sometimes an email will have to suffice. Ensuring your client’s journey is smooth (or as smooth as possible) is part of the Business Development responsibility. Picking up the phone just to check-in is when I have some of my most interesting conversations. Apprenticeship is a difficult road to navigate for many providers and employers, let alone would-be apprentices. There is a lot of “sell” going on, and I am amazed at many employers’ patience. Following up isn’t about the sell; it is about being available, supportive and offering guidance.

 

The key to Business Development in my experience is integrity and relevance. Listen, provide a solution or help the client source another option. Simple.